Aug 13 2009
Irregular heartbeat may be your body’s warning bell
(ARA) – The economy’s ups and downs are enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat. But those occasional irregular heartbeats, flutters, slow beats or moments when your heart races may actually be a warning sign of something even more serious than the recession.
If you frequently experience irregular heartbeats, especially if you also feel light-headed, dizzy or weak at the same time, make an appointment to have your doctor check if you’re suffering from heart disease or possibly even heart failure.
Your doctor will first do an electrocardiogram (ECG) which monitors the electrical activity in your heart. If the ECG doesn’t explain your irregular heartbeat, 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, typically 24 to 48 hours. You’ll also be asked to keep a diary of your symptoms throughout that time.
Your doctor will be very interested in determining whether or not there are any heart abnormalities present. The best test to determine whether or not the heart is normal is an echocardiogram or “sono.” If your heart function is normal, you may not need to do anything more. But if preliminary tests show weakened or abnormal heart function, more tests may be required:
* Tilt table test — Your ECG and blood pressure will be monitored while you’re in different positions.
* Implantable heart rhythm monitor — This is a very small device that will record your heart rhythms over a longer period of time measured in weeks to months.
If concerns remain, your doctor may want you to proceed with a more sophisticated test known as an electrophysiology (EP) study. In this study, catheters are inserted into blood vessels and threaded into the heart to record electrical activity under very controlled circumstances.
If your doctor diagnoses a heart rhythm problem, you may not necessarily need therapy. Lifestyle adjustment can be quite helpful, such as cutting back on the use of caffeine, avoiding decongestants, reducing alcohol intake, managing stress better and getting more rest. All these steps may serve to quiet irregular heartbeats. But if you do need therapy, it may include medicines such as blood thinners that help prevent clots and reduce the risk of stroke, an implantable device such as a pacemaker used to treat slow heartbeats, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator used to treat very fast heartbeats, or surgery.
Don’t try to self-diagnose, self-treat or otherwise minimize heart rhythm problems. Always consult your health care provider before taking any over-the-counter remedy, including nutrient supplements. Do reduce or eliminate caffeine consumption, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, get more sleep, begin an exercise regimen with your doctor’s guidance, and take all medicines as prescribed.
If your heart rhythm problems are accompanied by evidence of heart failure, additional treatment 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
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