Heart Beating Irregularly? Here’s What It Means

Heart arrhythmias come in many flavors. They can make your heart beat too slowly or too quickly. You may feel like your heart is skipping beats or even flopping around in your chest. You may feel the sensation of emptiness in your chest, followed by a forceful thud.

Perhaps most disturbing is the simple fact that your body’s engine is calling attention to itself.

These abnormal heartbeats are the result of a number of different conditions, some more serious than others. Symptoms can vary by the condition, but they include:

• Fluttering, pounding or racing feeling in the chest
• Fast heartbeat
• Slow heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Unexplained shortness of breath
• Anxiety
• Exhaustion for no reason
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Sweating
• Fainting or almost fainting

Common Arrhythmias

When your heart is operating normally, blood is pumped from the two upper chambers (atria) through the lower chambers (ventricles). From there, it is pumped out to your body, eventually returning to the atria to start the cycle over.

The heartbeat impulse starts in a specialized area (sinus node) in the top right chamber. You can think of it as a metronome for your heart. It changes speed, based on your body’s needs. At rest, your heart will beat 50 to 100 times per minute. That number can be changed by exercise, stress, fear and other factors.

An arrhythmia is something that disrupts that normal operation. Arrhythmias fall into broad categories, based on whether they involve a fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or slow heartbeat (bradycardia). Among the most common:

• Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT): This is a general term for irregular heartbeats starting above the lower chambers. This can cause a pounding heartbeat that starts and stops suddenly.
• Ventricular tachycardia: The condition creates a rapid and irregular heartbeat, caused by a faulty electrical signal in the lower chambers of the heart. This can prevent the lower chambers from properly filling with blood.
• Atrial fibrillation (AFib): Marked by a rapid and uncoordinated heartbeat, AFib can be temporary, starting and stopping on its own.
• Atrial flutter: This is similar to AFib, but the heartbeats are less chaotic.

Arrhythmia Causes and Concerns

Arrhythmias can be caused by a wide range of factors. Sometimes, the problem is linked to an abnormality in very small components at the cellular level. These can be affected by electrolyte imbalances (think potassium and magnesium), alcohol, medications, nervous system abnormalities and hormonal or endocrine disorders such as thyroid disease.

Some arrhythmias are caused by scar tissue that has developed in the muscle fibers of the heart. This can occur after a heart attack, with the scar tissue acting like a lane closure on a busy multi-lane highway.

There are also congenital abnormalities that leave extra tissue between the upper and lower chamber of the heart.

It’s never enjoyable to know that your heart isn’t acting perfectly. But having an abnormal heartbeat doesn’t necessarily mean your life is at substantial risk. Some of these conditions will have no impact on your health, particularly if they occur rarely. Others may require maintenance by a cardiologist to avoid serious damage to your heart.

If you are experiencing an irregular heartbeat, you should seek medical care. If the symptoms are mild, start with your primary care physician or cardiologist. But if your symptoms are severe – with chest pain, lightheadedness or feeling like you may pass out – go to an emergency room.

What Does Treatment Look Like?

Treatment of your arrhythmia will depend on its type and severity. In some instances, you may need nothing more than office visits and reassurance that your condition isn’t life-threatening.

If the symptoms are bothersome, there are medications available. Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers can help slow a heart rate. And there are more specialized medications called antiarrhythmics, though they require closer monitoring because of potential side effects.

In more extreme cases, there is a minimally invasive procedure (catheter ablation) that can destroy small areas of heart tissue that are causing the irregular heartbeat.