What exactly is heart arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia refers to a problem with the rhythm or rate of heartbeat. Either the heart beats too slowly, too quickly, or has an irregular beat pattern. Heart arrhythmias occur when the electrical impulse which controls the heartbeat isn’t working properly, explains cardiac electrophysiologist Ian Weisberg, M.D. Image source: azheartrhythmcenter.com Image source: medlife.com A heartbeat that’s beating faster than normal is called tachycardia (more than 100 beats per minute, while one that’s slower than normal is called bradycardia (less than 60 beats per minute). Types of heart arrhythmia are also determined based on their regularity and where they originate (that is, either the lower or upper chambers of the heart). The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, in which the heartbeat is fast and irregular. A lot of factors affect the rhythm of one’s heart, from smoking, stress, and certain drugs to congenital heart defects and a past heart attack. He...