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If your heart beats at irregular pace often, it is important to take note
of it rather than ignore it as it can be a warning sign for a heart ailment called arrhythmia
Heartbeats get abnormal after exercising, running, or after doing some strenuous work. There is nothing to worry about. But if your heart beats at irregular pace often, it is important to take note of it rather than ignore it as it can be a warning sign for a heart ailment called arrhythmia. A normal heart beats 60-100 times per minute while resting, but if it starts beating too slowly or too fast or if the heartbeat is irregular or premature, then that condition is known as arrhythmia. People tend to avoid it as a minor issue little knowing that it can lead to a stroke, fall due to drop in BP, loss of consciousness or even result in heart failure. In a country where people take time to press the panic button when it comes to illnesses and medical problems, it is no surprise that a number of cases of irregular heartbeats go unnoticed for a long time. Some dismiss it as just a recurring symptom of body weakness; others may ignore it as a side-effect of blood pressure issues. The lack of awareness about arrhythmia means not many people even take note of the symptoms. When heart beat is too fast, it is called tachycardia. When the beats are slow, it is known as bradycardia. An irregular heartbeat may be due to atrial fibrillation. The problem is that the symptoms are quite vague and can be associated with other minor medical problems. In India, not many people are aware that there is a heart's electricity related disorder called arrhythmia. Often it is diagnosed when doctors are checking a patient for something else. More often, by the time it is diagnosed, major damage has already been caused. It is important to take seriously any abnormality in the rhythm of our heart. There are many symptoms that can help predict arrhythmia like shortness of breath, weakness, early fatigue, palpitations, thumping in the chest, dizziness, chest pain, fainting, and, of course. too fast or slow heartbeats. Ignoring these symptoms is inviting a major health trouble. While some type of arrhythmias can be harmless, others can be life threatening as it may disrupt the normal functioning of the heart. In some cases, it can lead to heart failure too. The condition is treatable with the help of implantation of a pacemaker, devices or through burning the points from where irregular beats originate though radiofrequency heat waves. There are a few things in medicine where a permanent cure is possible. For certain arrhythmias this stands true with radiofrequency ablation. — The writer is Associate Director and Head, Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab and Arrhythmia Services, Max Hospital, New Delhi.
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