Dr. Ian Weisberg, MD.

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...

A cardioversion is a procedure to treat irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias. It’s a brief operation in which an electrical current is brought to one’s heart to normalize the rhythm, explains cardiac electrophysiologist Ian Weisberg, MD. Image source: svhhearthealth.com.au A heart beating too fast won’t be able to pump enough blood needed by the various organs of the body. It can therefore lead to exhaustion, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and even blackouts. People suffering from arrhythmias are first given medication, and often this alone is enough. There are two types of arrhythmias: atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. In both cases, the upper chambers of the heart called the atria are beating very fast. It can also be that the lower chambers or ventricles are doing the same or quivering. Cardioversion electrically resets this abnormal beat. Image source: Wikimedia commons Cardioversions are generally safe, and patients won’t feel any pa...