Palpitation Treatment
Palpitation treatment and treatment for arrhythmias can vary depending on the cause and the extent to which your health or lifestyle is affected. Appropriate palpitation treatments include simple lifestyle modifications, medications, implantable medical devices and surgical or other procedures.
Palpitation treatments include:
Medications to control arrhythmias
Medications are often used, both in the short and longer term, to treat an excessively fast heart beat (tachycardia). Several kinds of medications such as anti-arrhythmic drugs and beta-blockers are available to slow down a heart that's beating too fast. Medications are also used to treat a variety of other arrhythmias.
Artificial pacemakers
The most common reason for needing an artificial pacemaker is a heart beat that is too slow (bradycardia). Like the normal heart's electrical system, the artificial pacemaker uses small electrical currents to stimulate the heart muscle and cause it to contract (pump) at a normal pace.
Download more information about artificial pacemakers.
Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs)
People who are at risk of some dangerous heart arrhythmias can sometimes benefit from an Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD). A defibrillator is a piece of equipment that can either override an arrhythmia by pacing the heart, or in more serious situations it can deliver a controlled electric shock or series of shocks to the heart to try to return it to its normal rhythm.
Download more information about implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs).
Cardioversion
For people with a prolonged or particularly serious episode of atrial fibrillation, 'cardioversion' may be used to return the heart to a normal rhythm. In electrical cardioversion, an 'electrical shock' is given to the heart (while the person is anaesthetised) to help restore a normal rhythm and thus reduce the long term risks associated with atrial fibrillation. In pharmacological cardioversion, medications are used to achieve a similar effect.
Catheter ablation
In catheter ablation procedures, a long, thin tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in the leg and threaded through the vessel until the tip reaches the heart. At the tip of the catheter is an electrode, which can emit radiofrequency waves to 'burn' and inactivate the area(s) of the heart responsible for creating or passing abnormal signals within the heart.
Surgery
In some cases, arrhythmias can be treated by surgically removing sections of the heart muscle which are malfunctioning. Although not commonly used, this option can be very effective in treating certain kinds of arrhythmias.