How to Treat Cardiac Arrhythmias

An arrhythmia occurs when your heart beats erratically, such as too fast or too slow. Normally your heart beats with a regulated rhythm that contracts your heart muscles. If your heart is interrupted in its beating pattern, arrhythmia will result. Many factors can contribute to the development of an arrhythmia, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Various methods may be considered by your physician in order to treat your arrhythmia.

Things You'll Need

• Medications
• Surgery
• Medical devices

Instructions

Initial Procedures

1. Take medications such as beta blockers to treat arrhythmias that result in fast heartbeats. It is important to be monitored by your physician when taking medications to slow your heart rate, for some medications can result in side effects such as your heart beating too slowly. As a result, you may need to get a pacemaker.

2. Fast heart rates can also be treated with cardioversion. This procedure requires you to be lightly sedated as your physician shocks your heart to restore its natural beating rhythm.

3. Try ablation therapy. Your physician can use catheters placed into your heart's blood vessels to either freeze or heat the affected area that is causing your arrhythmia. According to the Mayo Clinic, ablation therapy is an effective form of treating arrhythmia.

Devices

1. Get a pacemaker if you suffer from a slow heartbeat. A pacemaker can shock your heart when the device senses that your heart is beating abnormally.

2. Stay in the hospital for the recommended amount of time after getting a pacemaker implanted. Your physician will need to monitor your pacemaker's response to your heart before you can be discharged from the hospital.

3. Ask your physician about getting an ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) if you have an abnormally fast heartbeat, or if your heart quivers. A quivering heart means that your heart shakes instead of beating as it should. An ICD works as a pacemaker by shocking your heart when your heart beats erratically.

Surgery

1. Undergo what is known as a maze procedure when other treatment options fail. Discuss with your physician the risks of a maze procedure.

2. You'll need to undergo open heart surgery for a maze procedure. A maze procedure creates incisions within the upper areas of your heart in order to create scars that will allow boundaries within your heart to develop. As a result, these new boundaries will make your heart beat more effectively.

3. If you have an aneurysm that is causing your arrhythmia, get the aneurysm removed. Undergo a ventricular aneurysm surgery, which removes the source of your heart condition to help your heart beat normally.

4. Undergo a coronary bypass surgery to help improve symptoms of a fast heart beat if your physician suggests it. A coronary bypass surgery can restore blood flow to your heart, as well as reduce the amount of arrhythmic episodes you may experience with a fast heartbeat.

Tips & Warnings

• Take medications as prescribed by your physician.

• Include exercise in your daily routine to provide your blood vessels with more oxygen.

• Eat more fruits and vegetables.

• Quit smoking to keep your heart as healthy as possible.

• Don't drink excessive amounts of alcohol (no more than two drinks per day).

• Cut out fatty foods, salty foods, and processed foods.

References

• Mayo Clinic

Resources

• American College of Cardiology: Cardiac Arrhythmias
• American Heart Association: Treatment of Cardiac Arrhythmia
• Mayo Clinic: Arrhythmia