Most people experience strange occurrences in the heart at one time or another. Such sensations, called heart palpitations, can make your heart feel like it's racing, pounding, and even skipping a beat or two. You feel tight in the chest, neck, or throat areas. Though such experiences can be shocking, don't worry, these events are widespread and usually harmless.
What are the Types of Palpitation?
The irregular heartbeat types that define palpitation can have different outcomes. Some can cause you to lose momentum altogether and feel severely exhausted, but these usually do not affect your health and daily activities. However, abnormally high-frequency sounds pose a serious risk and can be fatal if not addressed promptly.
Tachycardia and irregular heartbeat are classified based on the nature of their movement, which include tachycardia, slow bradycardia, or irregular heartbeat.
Tachycardia: It is defined as a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute. Within the realm of tachycardias, two distinct types of heart failure require attention: supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and ventricular tachycardia (VT). The condition is severe and requires unique treatment modalities.
A ventricular stroke (VT) triggers a dangerous condition in the heart. When the lower chambers, called the ventricles, beat at an uncontrollable rate, the capacity to contract blood is reduced. These rapid rhythms disrupt normal electrical circuitry and can lead to life-threatening ventricular fibrillation (V-fib).
Bradycardia: Defined as a resting heart rate of less than 60 bpm, bradycardia can be clinically significant as it prevents proper blood flow, which can lead to serious health problems. While bradycardia may be a common physiological finding in highly trained athletes, it may also indicate an underlying heart condition such as sinus syndrome.
Your heart's rhythm relies on smooth electrical pathways. Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS) damages the heart's natural rhythm, causing slow heartbeat and symptoms such as dizziness. Think of it as a flickering signal light confusing traffic flow. Heart block acts like a blockage, stopping signals between chambers and causing the same symptoms as shortness of breath. Both are serious, so seek medical help if you are experiencing any symptoms. Early intervention makes your heart beat normal to ensure a healthier you.
Other palpitation types include:
- Heart hiccups: An occasional missing or irregular heartbeat (ectopic heartbeat) is usually a harmless clot in your heart.
- Electrical glitches: Long QT, Brugada, and WPW syndromes cause chaos in the heart's wiring, causing dangerous arrhythmias and irregular rhythms. These conditions can lead to cardiac arrest or fainting.
- Paroxysmal arrhythmias are brief episodes where your heart rate goes haywire before returning to normal. Understanding the cause is key.
Conclusion
Early detection and treatment of irregular heartbeat can help prevent serious health problems such as stroke, heart failure, and even death. If you are concerned about your heart health, talk to your doctor about your risk factors and whether you should be tested for heart failure. Health insurance can help cover the cost of diagnosing and treating irregular heart rhythms.