For Good Health, Don't Ignore an Irregular Heartbeat

(ARA) - Does your heart ever beat irregularly? Perhaps you get an occasional flutter, or your heart races or beats slow for a short amount of time. For most people, these occasional, irregular heartbeats are common and harmless. However, when these irregular heartbeats (or heart rhythms) are combined with a diagnosis of heart failure, a condition in which the heart doesn't pump blood through the body as well as it should, consider these irregular heartbeats a warning sign.

If you've been experiencing these sensations with some regularity and especially if you feel lightheaded, dizzy or weak when these irregular beats occur, make an appointment with a doctor who will check to see if you're suffering from heart disease in general and possibly heart failure.

* Diagnosing Heart Rhythm Problems

The first thing your doctor will do is order an electrocardiogram (ECG) which records the electrical activity in your heart. ECG adhesive patches (electrodes) will be placed on your chest, arms and legs. The patches are attached to wires and connected to a machine that records the electrical activity in your heart on graph paper.

If no explanation for your heart rhythm irregularities turns up on the ECG, your doctor may ask you to wear a Holter Monitor, a small portable device used to make a tape recording of your heartbeats over a longer period of time. Patients typically wear the device for 24 to 48 hours and keep a diary of their symptoms.

After the test is done, the tape is sent to the lab for analysis and an explanation for the heartbeat irregularities may become apparent. Most importantly, expect to have pictures of your heart made, especially an echocardiogram or 'sono' of your heart. If your heart function is otherwise normal, nothing else may be required but if weakened or abnormal heart function is noted, there may be a need to do more testing and consider certain therapies.

Other tests that may be used to diagnose heart rhythm problems include: the tilt table test which involves monitoring a patient's ECG and blood pressure while they're in different positions; and an electrophysiology (EP) study which is a test in which special catheters (thin insulated wires) are inserted into a blood vessel and threaded into the heart to record its electrical activity. During an EP study, the doctor will try to provoke a heart rhythm problem to pinpoint the starting location in the heart and evaluate how the patient responds to the abnormal rhythm.

* Treating Heart Rhythm Problems

After your heart rhythm problem has been diagnosed, your doctor will develop a treatment plan that is right for you. You may not need any specific therapy for heart rhythm problems. If you do need therapy, it may include medicines such as anticoagulants (blood thinners) that help prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of stroke, an implantable device, such as a cardiac pacemaker which is used to treat slow heartbeats or a implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) which is used to treat very fast heartbeats, or surgery.

To minimize heart rhythm problems it is highly recommended that you consult your doctor or nurse before taking over the counter remedies (including nutrient supplements); you should also reduce or eliminate your caffeine intake, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, get more sleep, start an exercise program after consultation with your doctor or nurse, and take all your medicines as prescribed. If it is discovered that in addition to the heart rhythm problems that there is also evidence of heart failure, additional treatment recommendations may be necessary.

To learn more about heart failure and rhythm problems, log on to the Heart Failure Society of America's Web site: www.abouthf.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent