Types And Symptoms Of Arrhythmias And AHA CPR Classes In Nashville

Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) means your heartbeat is irregular which doesn’t necessarily mean your ticker is beating too fast or too slow, it actually means that your ticker is out of its normal rhythm. It feels like your ticker skipped a beat, added a beat, is beating too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (called bradycardia). You may not notice anything as well since some “arrhythmias” are silent. Abnormal heart rhythms can be an emergency (they may be life-threatening), or they may be harmless. Call 911 if you feel something unusual happening with your heartbeat in order for doctors to find out the reason behind it and things that you need to know about it.

Arrhythmia Symptoms:

As we have mentioned, an arrhythmia can be “silent” which means you don’t notice any symptoms. A doctor to find an irregular heartbeat usually conducts a physical exam by taking an individual’s pulse or through an electrocardiogram (ECG). The symptoms- if you do have- may include palpitations (a feeling of skipped heart beats), pounding in the chest, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, weakness or fatigue, dizziness or feeling light-headed.

Causes:

You could have an arrhythmia even if your ticker is healthy or it could happen because of cardiovascular disease, changes in heart muscle, injury from a heart attack, healing process after heart surgery, the wrong balance of electrolytes in the blood.

If you are on the lookout for an American Heart Association CPR class Nashville, don’t look beyond the AHA certified CPR Nashville in Tennessee for your CPR training. Proper application of the CPR procedure (a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths) can revive the life of a cardiac arrest victim.

Types of Arrhythmias:

Premature atrial contractions- These are early extra beats that start in the atria- heart’s upper chambers. These do not require any treatment as they are usually harmless.

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) - This is one of the most common arrhythmias which we all occasionally feel- they are the skipped heartbeat. They can be associated with stress or too much caffeine or nicotine. But sometimes, they can be caused by cardiovascular disease or electrolyte imbalance. See a cardiologist if you have a lot of PVCs, or symptoms linked to them.

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) - This is a common irregular heart rhythm that causes the upper chambers of the ticker to contract abnormally.

Atrial Flutter- This abnormal rhythm is usually more organized and regular than atrial fibrillation which happens most often in people with heart disease and in the first week after heart surgery. Atrial flutter may change to AFib.

Ventricular tachycardia (V-tach) - This rapid abnormal rhythm starts from the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles). The ticker cannot fill up with enough blood because of beating too fast. This abnormal rhythm can be life-threatening particularly in people with heart disease.

Ventricular Fibrillation- VFib occurs when the heart’s lower chambers quiver and can’t contract or pump blood to the body. This is a medical emergency, it is the most common cause of cardiac arrest. It must be treated with CPR and defibrillation as soon as possible.

Training in how to operate an Automated External Defibrillator device for the process of defibrillation is imparted in the CPR class itself.

Long QT Syndrome- Potentially dangerous arrhythmias and sudden death can occur due to Long QT Syndrome that doctors treat with medications or devices called defibrillators.

Bradyarrhythmias- A disease in the heart’s electrical system may cause these slow heart rhythms. When this occurs, an individual may feel like they are going to pass out, or actually pass out. A pacemaker could be the treatment for this.

Sinus Node Dysfunction- This abnormal slow heart rhythm happens due to a problem with the ticker’s sinus node. Some people would need a pacemaker for this type of arrhythmia.

Heart Block- There’s a delay or a complete block of the electrical impulse as it travels from the sinus node of the heart to its lower chambers causing the ticker to beat irregularly and often, more slowly. You’d get a pacemaker in serious cases.

To sign up for a CPR course at CPR Nashville, either register online or call on 615-397-9316.