Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations are an awareness of the heart beat; they include feeling as though your heart is 'racing', thumping or skipping beats. Often, heart palpitations are noticed during exercise, at times of stress, or after consuming caffeine or nicotine. As such, heart palpitations may or may not be associated with an abnormal heart rhythm.
Arrhythmias are disturbed rhythms of the heartbeat. There are many different types of arrhythmias. Some arrhythmias may cause the heart to skip or add a beat now and again, but have no effect on your general health or ability to lead a normal life. Other abnormalities in heart rhythm are more serious. Without treatment, they can affect the heart's pumping action which can lead to dizzy spells, shortness of breath, faintness or serious complications. Fortunately, many of these are treatable with medications, surgery or other medical procedures.
Different abnormalities of the heart's electrical system can cause different kinds of arrhythmias. Some common arrhythmias include:
Bradycardia - a slow heart beat
While bradycardia may be normal (for example, associated with improved physical fitness), it can also occur as a result of many physical disorders. It is serious when the heart beats so slowly that it cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Untreated, bradycardia it can cause excessive tiredness, dizziness, light-headedness or fainting, because not enough blood is reaching the brain.
Tachycardia - a fast heart beat
Tachycardia can be a normal response to a bout of physical activity. However, some types of tachycardia are cause for concern. While some forms of tachycardia are easily treated and not serious, others can be life-threatening. Common types of tachycardia include 'atrial flutter' and 'atrial fibrillation'. 'Ventricular tachycardia' is a potentially life-threatening condition which needs to be treated as a medical emergency. Treatment for this arrhythmia consists of administering an electric shock to the heart using a special piece of equipment called a defibrillator; the aim being to 'reset' the heart and return it to its normal rhythm.