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How does heart failure occur? Heart rhythm failure: causes, symptoms and treatment

Diseases of cardio-vascular system Today they are in the first place among other diseases. People of all ages suffer. An irregular heartbeat can be a precursor to a heart attack or stroke.

Heart rhythm disturbances: features and causes

Failures in the work of the heart is a frequent phenomenon, and in perfectly healthy people. In some cases, this is not dangerous to human health. And sometimes it causes serious illness.

Heart rhythm disturbance is a human condition when there is a pathology of the contractile function of the heart muscle responsible for the heartbeat. The normal rhythm is disturbed, the heart functions unstable. As a result, our “motor” beats very quickly or, conversely, slowly. There is a failure of cardiac function.

If a person is healthy, his heart beats at a speed of 75-100 beats per minute, in children up to 120 beats per minute. If the heart functions correctly, then the person "does not hear" it. If there are rhythm disturbances, then there is a feeling of discomfort. According to statistics, every third person suffers from arrhythmia. In some cases, patients learn about their disease by undergoing a general examination.

Main reasons heart rhythm disturbances are diseases of the cardiovascular system, increased blood pressure, mental disorder, diabetes mellitus, stressful condition, bad habits, the use of a large number of medicines.

The occurrence of arrhythmia leads to the incorrect operation of some functions of the body:

  • Violation of the blood supply . The lack of blood entering the heart interferes with the supply of electrical impulses, which leads to heart failure.
  • Damage or death of the heart muscle . As a result, there is an obstruction of impulses along it, which also contributes to the development of arrhythmia.
Typical diseases that cause heart failure:
  • Coronary artery disease . Based on this disease, there may be ventricular arrhythmia and the heart may die. The blood vessels constrict until the blood stops circulating through the heart. As a result, part of the heart muscle dies, which causes a myocardial infarction.
  • Cardiomyopathy . There is a stretching of the walls of the ventricles and atria. They become too thin or, on the contrary, thicken. Cardiac output becomes less efficient. The supply of blood to the aorta decreases, as a result of which human tissues and organs receive less nutrition.
  • valvular heart disease . Incorrect work also leads to malfunctions of cardiac functionality.

The risk group includes people suffering from hypertension, diabetes, congenital pathologies heart disease, thyroid disease, and a genetic predisposition to heart disease.

The main forms of cardiac arrhythmias


Cardiac arrhythmia occurs in different variants:

Sinus tachycardia. The heart rate rises to 150 beats per minute. At healthy person such indicators are observed during severe physical work or on the background of emotional stress. If such a rhythm persists constantly, then this is due to the presence of serious diseases in a person: heart failure, anemia, malfunctioning of the thyroid gland, and neuralgia. Man constantly experiences discomfort in the region of the chest.

Sinus bradycardia. Here, the heart rate decreases to 60 beats per minute. This picture is observed in a healthy person when he sleeps. This disease occurs against the background of neurological diseases, with an increase in intracranial pressure, slowing down of the thyroid gland, pathologies of the stomach and frequent use medicines.


Paroxysmal tachycardia. The heartbeat is between 140 and 200 beats per minute when the person is at rest. It usually comes on suddenly. This will require emergency medical attention.

Extrasystole. This is a condition when the heart and its departments begin to contract prematurely. Extrasystole can occur against the background of any heart disease, mental disorder, the use of drugs in high dosages, the use of drugs and alcohol-containing products.

Atrial fibrillation. Contraction of certain muscle groups of the heart in a chaotic sequence. The ventricles are contracted by failures with a frequency of 100-150 beats per minute, and the atria do not contract at all. The danger is that a person does not feel any discomfort.

heartbeat. Heart failure is associated with constant feeling strengthening of heart contractions. If a person is healthy, this condition is the result of heavy physical exertion, heat, excitability and excitement, alcohol abuse and smoking. Palpitations may appear against the background of heart disease and diseases accompanied by fever.

The structure of the heart will change under the influence various diseases. Accordingly, the arrhythmia occurs in different ways.

How does a heart rhythm disorder manifest?

Heart arythmy- the disease is unpredictable. Often a person does not feel any changes in the work of the heart at all, and such a diagnosis is made to the patient only during the examination. But in some cases, the disease begins to manifest itself. At the same time, the most severe types of arrhythmia are tolerated by a person quite easily.

The main symptoms to start worrying about are:

  • severe dizziness;
  • interruptions in the heart rhythm;
  • lack of oxygen;
  • fainting or fainting;
  • pain in the chest area.
Such symptoms are observed in the presence of other diseases. One way or another, you will have to undergo a medical examination to find out the diagnosis.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias is performed sequentially. First, the presence of a disease that worries the patient is detected. This is necessary to find out the possible causes of arrhythmias.

During the examination, medical devices are used and special tests are carried out. There are methods of passive research:

  • Electrocardiography. ECG is the most common research method that every person undergoes many times during his life. The device is equipped with electrodes that are attached to the arms, legs and chest of the patient. During operation, the device captures cardiac activity. A graph is printed with the intervals and duration of the contraction of each phase.
  • Daily monitoring by the Holter method. A special registrar is installed on the patient's arm for a day, which records the readings of the electrical activity of the heart. The person is doing the usual things all the time. After removing the registrar, the specialist, on the basis of the obtained indicators, diagnoses the patient.
  • Echocardiography. Such a study is carried out using an ultrasonic sensor, which allows you to obtain extensive information: an image of the chambers of the heart, the movement of the walls and valves, and other data.
In addition, several tests are performed to detect malfunctions in the heart.

One of the most effective ways to study arrhythmias and obtain reliable data on the state of our "motor" is mapping method . Thin electrodes are implanted into a person's heart in order to detect electrical impulses propagating through the heart. Thus, the type of arrhythmia, its structure and localization are clarified. Using this method, you can test how effective the drugs used by the patient are.

Violation of the speed of the heart can be caused by heavy physical exertion. Held exercise test . For the study, any sports simulator is used, or drugs that act on the heart in the same way as during sports activities. During the test, an ECG is recorded, and the diagnosis is established based on the data obtained.



If a person has frequent fainting spells and the cause of their origin is unknown, tilt table test . The patient lies horizontally on a special table, and for a period of 20-30 minutes, heart rate and changes in blood pressure are monitored. Next, the table is set vertically, and the same monitoring is performed for 10 minutes. Using this test, one can evaluate general state heart and nervous system.

Treatment of cardiac arrhythmias

Medications for the treatment of arrhythmia should be selected based on comprehensive examination. It turns out the type of arrhythmia and what caused its occurrence. First you need to get rid of the cause, and then treat the disease. Hormonal, anti-inflammatory or cardiac drugs are prescribed. Then prescribe treatment for arrhythmia:
  • Antiarrhythmic drugs that decrease or increase the conduction of the heart. Additionally, vitamins may be prescribed.
  • Reflex effect . This includes special massage neck on both sides, pressure on eyeballs, pressure on the abdominal press, causing a gag reflex. The result of massage is a decrease in the frequency of contractions of the heart.
  • Installation of pacemakers. The devices are used in conjunction with reflex influences and medicines to eliminate malfunctions in the work of the heart after myocardial infarction.
  • Physiotherapy treatment : carbonic and radon baths, four-chamber baths, low-frequency magnetic field. This method of treatment is used extremely rarely, given the condition of the patient.

Heart rhythm disorder in children, causes and treatment

Malfunctions in the work of the heart rhythm in children and adolescents are observed quite often. In this case, the disease proceeds in a completely different way. The causes of heart dysfunction in children are not similar to the disease in adults. Arrhythmia can be painful, and sometimes recognized in the case of a planned ECG.



First signs of disruption in the rhythm the baby is: the appearance of shortness of breath, pallor, blue on the skin, anxiety for no reason, poor appetite, lack of weight. In older children - frequent fainting, overwork, intolerance to physical exertion, weakness, discomfort in the chest area.

Main reasons arrhythmias in childhood

  • various heart defects;
  • heredity;
  • severe food or drug poisoning;
  • inflammatory heart disease;
  • disease of internal organs;
  • cardiac anomalies;
  • dysfunctions of the nervous system.
In 20% of cases, the presence of malfunctions in the work of the heart occurs in healthy children and passes quietly, without consequences. Such an arrhythmia disappears over time, as soon as the nervous and autonomic system. In this case, the arrhythmia is not treated. But there are more serious varieties of the disease, for example, extrasystole and tachycardia, which are dangerous for the health of children. At the same time, children do not feel the disease for a long time.

In childhood, arrhythmias are considered dangerous, which occur as a result of diseases of the heart muscle and heart defects. The worst prognosis might be, atrial fibrillation and complete heart block. If you do not start treatment on time, you can get disability, and death is not excluded.

Frequent fainting is also the result of improper heart function. Experts have found that the presence of fainting in children is due to a sharp decrease in blood pressure and temporary cardiac arrest.


Diagnosis in children carried out in different ways. Sometimes it is enough to conduct an ECG, and sometimes a daily monitoring or electrophysiological transesophageal examination is performed. The latter is reminiscent of gastroscopy. A very thin electrode is passed through the esophagus closer to the heart, and the heart rate is recorded. Sometimes tests on simulators are used to assess the state of the heart during physical exertion.

Treatment of pediatric arrhythmia depends on the type and severity of the disease. If a temporary violation of the heart rhythm is diagnosed, then medications are not prescribed. It is recommended to establish the regime and life of the child: peace, less physical exertion and emotional stress. If the arrhythmia is in a more severe form, medications are prescribed that will eliminate the cause of the disease. AT rare cases required surgical intervention- installation of pacemakers.

Violation of the heart rhythm in a child (video)

Let's watch a video that details what a child's heart looks like, what happens to him when the heart rhythm is disturbed, what a child suffering from a disease feels. Symptoms and treatment. Prevention of children's arrhythmia.

Heart rhythm disturbances are common. The causes of heart rhythm failures can be not only diseases of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, nervous and endocrine systems, but also some physiological conditions of the body.

The heart is the central organ in the human body, its engine. The heart muscle pumps blood constantly, day and night during sleep, like a pump. The person is completely oblivious to this. It directs blood throughout the body. Sometimes there are failures in the work of the heart. The rhythm, according to which it works smoothly, goes astray. If this failure occurs within physiological limits, there is no cause for concern. But sometimes attacks of arrhythmia are an indicator of serious disorders in the body, accompanying many other cardiovascular disorders.

The heart consists of four chambers, represented by two ventricles and two atria, and has the unique ability to generate a spontaneous electrical impulse within itself. This feature is called automatism of the heart muscle. How is this impulse born? Between the right ventricle and the atrium there is an accumulation of special muscle cells that can spontaneously contract, causing tissue excitation. Then this impulse spreads to the rest of the heart, thanks to certain mediators. This trigger element of muscle cells is called the sinus node. From it, an electrical impulse follows through the atrioventricular node, extends to the bundle of His and Purkinje fibers. This is how the whole heart contracts. There are 60 to 90 conductions per minute. It should be noted that in children the number of heartbeats per minute is about 120, for them this is the norm. With the right rhythm, the heart contracts evenly and periodically. If violations occur in any of these areas, an arrhythmia attack occurs. Such disorders can manifest as an increase or decrease in the number of contractions.

Characteristics of different types of cardiac arrhythmias

There are several types of heart rhythm failures:

Impulse formation pathology

  • Excitation impulses that occur in sinus node are called sinus rhythm. In this case, the increased production of the number of such rhythms is called sinus tachycardia. Reducing the number of impulses - sinus bradycardia. With tachycardia, the heart rate is more than 90 beats per minute. With bradycardia, the heart rate is below 60 beats per minute. These are violations of the number of impulses produced by the heart.
  • In some pathologies, nervous excitation does not occur in the sinus node, as it should normally, but in any other element of conduction. nervous excitement in the heart. Such an atypical place of occurrence of an electrical impulse is called an ectopic focus of excitation. Spontaneous contraction of muscle cells can occur in the atrioventricular node, bundle of His, atria, or ventricles. The impulse from them can spread not only through the underlying parts of the heart, but go ascending way. These disorders include extrasystole, paroxysmal arrhythmia. Atypical foci of excitation can also provoke the occurrence of ventricular or atrial fibrillation. These are violations of the site of origin of the focus of the nerve impulse.

Heart blocks

In this condition, disturbances in the conduction of nervous excitation occur inside the heart, in any of its sections:

  • blockade of the legs of the bundle of His;
  • sinoatrial blockade;
  • atrioventricular block.

Mixed arrhythmic pathologies

Along with sinus rhythm, an ectopic focus of excitation occurs in the heart. Both nerve impulses propagate separately due to the blockade between them. The atria contract in one rhythm, and the ventricles in the second.

Causes of arrhythmias

The causes of heart rhythm failure are divided into two groups:

  • Physiological heart rhythm disturbances can occur several times a day. This should not be cause for concern.
  • Pathological rhythm disturbances go beyond the physiological boundaries, which can be caused by several reasons.

The age-related features of the body are such that over time, the heart muscle loses its elasticity and elasticity, it becomes difficult to pump blood in the proper volume, which leads to disruption of the organ.

Genetic predisposition is not the last risk factor for the occurrence of pathological rhythmic contractions. The presence of a history of this disease increases the chances of heart rhythm failures in the offspring.

Anomalies in the development and structure of the heart can also cause a repeated attack of arrhythmia.

Natural Causes of Rhythm Disorder

The occurrence of heart rhythm failures does not always signal the presence of a disease. There are a number of normal physiological conditions when rhythm changes are observed. Among them are the following reasons:

  1. During sleep, the heart rate drops slightly, causing bradycardia.
  2. Natural bradycardia in people professionally involved in sports. For better adaptation to constant strong physical exertion, the heart begins to work differently.
  3. In stressful situations or during unusual excessive physical exertion, an increased production of adrenaline occurs, which leads to the occurrence of tachycardia.
  4. Drinking alcohol, smoking cause physiological tachycardia. Long-term alcohol consumption in large quantities can lead to a pathology of the heart rhythm, manifested by paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Temporary changes in the work of the heart lead to:

  • food poisoning,
  • overheating in the sun and at high temperatures,
  • inflammatory processes,
  • feverish conditions,
  • shock states,
  • hypothermia.

Diseases that cause arrhythmias

1. Diseases endocrine system: lack of the hormone insulin (diabetes mellitus), thyroid pathology, menopause in women, some tumor processes in the adrenal glands (pheochromocytoma).

2. Diseases of the nervous system:

  • brain tumors and injuries
  • neuroses,
  • neurasthenia,
  • violations cerebral circulation, strokes,
  • vegetative dystonia.
  • Diseases of the heart and blood vessels:
  • myocardial infarction,
  • hypertension of any severity,
  • endocarditis,
  • myocarditis,
  • malformations of the heart, acquired defects,
  • all types of heart failure.

3. Diseases of the stomach and intestines:

  • cholecystitis,
  • some types of hernias,
  • pancreatitis.


How to relieve an arrhythmia attack?

Symptoms of arrhythmias are quite diverse, sometimes they can be confused with manifestations of other pathologies. If symptoms such as spontaneous unreasonable shortness of breath, fainting and pre-syncope, chest discomfort, dizziness, sudden fatigue, the appearance of unconscious fear, blackout in the eyes occur, you should immediately call an ambulance team and take urgent measures to improve the patient's condition. If a person says that he began to feel how his heart beats, and changes in his work, you can suspect an arrhythmia, which requires some help sick. Many upon occurrence similar condition they get lost, they panic because they don’t know what to do when they have an attack of heart rhythm failure.

How to relieve an arrhythmia attack? Before arrival medical personnel it is necessary to lay a person on a flat surface, relax all the tightening elements of clothing (tie, belt), provide fresh air by opening the windows in the room, give a drink sedatives(a few drops of Corvalol or valerian tincture). When fainting, the patient should be laid on the floor, throw his head to the side and back to release the patency respiratory tract. If it is difficult for a person to breathe with all this and there are suspicions of the development of pulmonary edema and atrial fibrillation, the patient should be helped to take a semi-sitting position.

Arriving medical assistance will make an ECG, carry out therapeutic manipulations to relieve an acute attack of arrhythmia and take the patient to the hospital for further monitoring of his condition.

Diagnosis and treatment

In order to confirm the diagnosis, the doctor carefully examines the patient, clarifies all the symptoms, their duration and frequency of occurrence, and prescribes additional examination methods. These include:

  • Blood, urine, stool tests are mandatory procedures for examining any pathology.
  • Electrocardiogram.
  • Ultrasound examination of the heart.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging if necessary.
  • Holter control of the electrocardiogram. Monitoring is carried out during the day. To do this, the patient carries a special registrar in his purse, which records the electrocardiogram all day. Then the cardiologist deciphers the data obtained and characterizes the results of the study for the patient.

If a person has an attack of arrhythmia, self-treatment should not be. You need to seek qualified help, which will include several stages. Initially, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the failure in the heart by taking anti-inflammatory, hormonal and other drugs (with non-cardiac etiology). Then various antiarrhythmic drugs are prescribed, which, if necessary, stimulate or, conversely, suppress the conduction of the nerve impulse. Some of these drugs will have to be taken for a long time. For the best effect of the treatment, vitamins are used. Positive results in cardiac arrhythmias are obtained by the use of physiotherapeutic methods of treatment. Among them is a low-frequency magnetic field.

According to indications, surgical treatment is prescribed. The introduction of a pacemaker or a special defibrillator into the body solves the problems of disturbed heart rhythm.

On this moment cardiac arrhythmias are successfully treated and do not become a serious problem for a person. Timely establishment of the causes and diagnosis of the disease provides great chances for success in the treatment of pathology.

The heart is important human organ acting as a pump. In a healthy body, the heart rate remains constant and even. Various deviations cause a violation of the heart rhythm. This disease is called arrhythmia. The normal heart rate (HR) is considered to be between 60 and 80 beats per minute. An increase or decrease in this indicator indicates diseases of the cardiovascular system.

The contraction of the heart is carried out by the conduction system of the body. It includes the sinus node (the place where the electrical impulse appears), the atrioventricular node (serves to transmit a signal to the bundle of His), and the Purkinje fibers (required for contraction of the ventricular muscles). AT normal condition heart contraction is sinus. Those. each impulsive signal that provokes a contraction of the heart muscle leaves the sinus node and passes down the conducting passages. Correct heart contraction occurs with equal frequency.

Heart rhythm disturbances are divided into two types according to the frequency of heart contractions.

  1. Tachycardia (with a heart rate of more than 80 beats per minute): characterized by the body's response to external conditions(stress, overstrain, emotional impact, fever). An increase in heart rate in calm state testifies to significant deviations in the work of the heart. In such a situation, it is necessary timely help doctor.
  2. Bradycardia (with heart rate less than 60 beats per minute): develops at rest in completely healthy people.

Bradycardia and tachycardia occur without the development of heart pathologies.

A separate classification of cardiac arrhythmia includes three types of arrhythmias.

  1. Deviations when an impulse occurs. If the impulse is formed in the sinus node, then this type includes bradycardia and tachycardia. And when a signal occurs from other parts of the conducting mechanism, an ectopic excitation node is formed (i.e., a focus that is located in wrong place). It is usually located in the atrioventricular node, in the atria or ventricles. In this case, the impulse is transmitted either by descending paths, or by ascending paths. This group of cardiac arrhythmias includes certain conditions: slow (slip) and fast (ectopic) rhythms, extrasystole and paroxysmal tachycardia. Due to ectopic foci of excitation, fibrillation (flicker) develops in both the ventricles.
  2. Conduction disorders in the heart. This condition is called blockade. On different areas the conductive mechanism, blocks appear that prevent the passage of the impulse. The classification implies several types of blockades: intra-atrial, atrioventricular, sinoatrial, and bundle branch block. This type includes (cardiac arrest) and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (SVC syndrome).
  3. Combined types. This classification implies a division into atrioventricular dissociation, parasystole and ectopic rhombuses with exit block. In this case, an additional (ectopic) focus of excitation and the sinus node work in isolation (due to the blockade). As a result, there is a double formation of rhythm, the ventricles and atria work in a different rhythm.

In the presence of cardiac pathologies, most of patients suffer from ventricular and atrial extrasystoles. In this case, a premature contraction is added to the normal rhythm. Violation of the heart rhythm is manifested in vegetative-vascular dystonia, tonsillitis, severe stress, smoking abuse, after myocarditis.

Another common type of heart rhythm disorder is atrial fibrillation (classified by a violation in the occurrence of an impulse). In this case, there is no phase of atrial contraction. Wherein muscle fibers lose synchrony in work, and the atria twitch chaotically.

Reasons for the development of arrhythmia

Heart rhythm disturbances are not always considered a pathology. In certain situations, bradycardia, single extrasystoles of the ventricles and atria, occur during sleep. The reasons for the slowdown in heart rate can be caused by vagal effects on the heart (slow heart rate under the influence of vagus nerve). Tachycardia often occurs against the background of emotional impact, stress and strong physical exertion. Active heart contractions appear when there are disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (with an increase in the concentration of adrenaline in the blood - the stress hormone). Bad habits and abuse of stimulating drinks (coffee, energy drinks) also lead to tachycardia and extrasystole.

The reasons for the deterioration of the work of the heart and the condition of the vessels are associated with a change in the electrolyte composition of the blood. When the balance of certain trace elements in the body (potassium, sodium, magnesium) changes under the influence of inflammatory processes, fever, hypothermia and overheating, poisoning, single episodes of heart rhythm disturbances occur. When the cause of this condition of the patient is eliminated, the heart rate returns to normal. special treatment not required.

Risk factors for arrhythmias:

  • age (people over 45);
  • hereditary predisposition;
  • abuse of bad habits;
  • excess weight.

Severe forms of arrhythmia occur against the background of concomitant diseases. In this case, the causes of heart failure are associated with the presence of certain pathologies:

  • and vessels (myocardial infarction, ischemia, arterial hypertension, heart defects, endocarditis, myocarditis, heart failure);
  • neurological problems and diseases (brain injuries, tumor formations, vegetative-vascular dystonia, neurosis, problems in the blood circulation of the brain);
  • endocrine problems (premenstrual syndrome in women, menopause, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, adrenal tumor);
  • diseases gastrointestinal tract (chronic cholecystitis, pancreatitis, gastric ulcer, esophageal hernia).

In some situations, the causes of the development of the disease cannot be established. In this case, an idiopathic violation of heart contractions is diagnosed.

Symptoms of the disease

The clinical picture of various types of arrhythmias manifests itself in different ways, depending on the characteristics of the patient's body. In rare cases, symptoms of heart rate disorders are not observed at all, and the disease can be diagnosed only when scheduled inspection cardiologist. But most often, heart rhythm disturbances are accompanied by obvious signs.

The main symptoms of arrhythmia:

  • increased heart rate (with tachycardia) and slowing of heart rate (with bradycardia);
  • feeling of heartbeat;
  • noticeable interruptions in the work of the heart ("fading" of the heartbeat with extrasystole);
  • weakness, dizziness, fainting;
  • shortness of breath and pain in the chest;
  • feeling of anxiety, panic and other disorders of a neurotic nature.

Features of arrhythmia in children

Unlike adults, in whom arrhythmia is diagnosed against the background of concomitant diseases, cardiac arrhythmias in children are equally associated with congenital developmental pathologies and conditions with normal operation of cardio-vascular system.

According to statistics, about 27% of children suffer from various kinds of heart rate disorders. Children at puberty are most at risk, when there is a functional change in almost all body systems.

Often occurs against the background of excessive psychological stress. By identifying the causes and eliminating them, the symptoms and signs of heart rhythm disturbances in children are almost completely eliminated.

The main feature of arrhythmia in children is latent current diseases. Quite often problems of contractility of heart come to light at more mature age at inspection. Children do not complain of standard symptoms of arrhythmia, and clinical picture disease is usually manifested in psychomotor behavior ( increased nervousness, tearfulness, irritability, sleep disturbances, short-term loss of consciousness).

Pronounced violations of the heart in children significantly affect the well-being, and require medical intervention. With timely diagnosis of the disease, the prognosis for life in children with arrhythmia is quite favorable.

Special treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in children not associated with organic pathologies is not required. As a rule, this condition regresses over time on its own. Treatment of other forms of arrhythmia begins with the correction of the daily regimen in children (work, study and rest), nutrition, as well as the use of elements conservative therapy. In especially severe forms, surgical intervention is required.

Conservative treatment of arrhythmia in children involves taking the following drugs:

  • beta-blockers;
  • sedatives;
  • cardiac glycosides (in the presence of concomitant heart failure).

Treatment with conventional antiarrhythmic drugs in children is carried out with caution, with a clear selection of dosage and drug regimen. Timely started treatment contributes to the complete blocking of attacks of cardiac arrhythmias, and also reduces the risk of complications in adulthood.


Diagnosis and treatment of the disease

If a patient complains of typical symptoms of arrhythmia during a doctor's examination, then diagnosing the disease is not difficult. The specific type of cardiac arrhythmias is established only by the results of an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Extrasystole is characterized by changes in ventricular complexes, tachycardia - by small intervals between contractions, atrial fibrillation - by irregular rhythm and frequency of contractions.

To additional methods Arrhythmia diagnostics include:

  • monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate during the day (Holter diagnostics);
  • measurements under load (cycling, walking up stairs, treadmill);
  • ECG through the esophagus (specifies the location of the arrhythmia);
  • electrophysiological study through the esophagus (when stimulating heart contractions to identify a specific type of arrhythmia).

In some cases, ultrasound of the heart and MRI (to detect tumor formations) are performed.

Depending on the type of arrhythmia and the condition of the patient, treatment is prescribed. Short-term disorders of the rhythm of heart contractions are treated on an outpatient basis. In especially severe cases, treatment is carried out in a hospital. Methods such as defibrillation, pacing, catheter ablation are used.

Among the drugs for arrhythmia can be distinguished:

  • blood thinners;
  • remedies for high cholesterol;
  • antihypertensive drugs for high blood pressure;
  • diuretics (with chronic heart failure);
  • antiarrhythmic drugs (to normalize heart rate).

Heart blocks and bradycardia require different treatment. Drugs are prescribed to "accelerate" the heart rate and increase heart rate.

After completing the treatment, the patient is referred to a cardiologist. Regular examinations, ECG, and monitoring of heart contraction indicators are necessary.


Possible complications and long-term prognosis

Against the background of the development of arrhythmia various types possible appearance serious complications:

  • collapse: a sharp drop in blood pressure below 100 mm. rt. Art., weakness, fainting;
  • ischemic stroke (with advanced education blood clots in the heart cavity): sudden speech impairment, balance problems, partial or complete paralysis of the limbs;
  • arrhythmogenic shock (with a sharp decrease in blood flow in the brain, organs): loss of consciousness, cyanosis of the skin, low blood pressure, rare pulse, serious condition the patient;
  • acute myocardial infarction (with a lack of oxygen in the tissues of the heart, necrosis of myocardial cells occurs): a sharp strong pain in the region of the heart;
  • thromboembolism pulmonary artery(a condition that occurs when an artery is blocked by a thrombus): sudden shortness of breath, a feeling of suffocation, blueness of the skin;
  • fibrillation,

If the frequency and regularity of heartbeats do not correspond to generally accepted norms, you may be diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia. In essence, this organic lesion, which is a consequence of intoxication, functional failures of the nervous system or violations of the water-salt balance.

Is cardiac arrhythmia dangerous and how can it be dealt with? We have to study the causes, symptoms and methods of treatment of this disease.

Classification of pathology

Before discussing the essence of pathology, it is necessary to study its varieties. There are several groups of factors that lead our body to a state of arrhythmia. Each type of this disease has its own symptoms. The disease can be based on calcium and magnesium imbalance, industrial and bacterial conditions, bad habits (nicotine, alcohol), oxygen deficiency.

Defeat endocrine organs in the future may affect the work of the heart muscle. Side effects from a number of drugs can also cause the disease. Types of arrhythmias are based on violations of certain cardiac functions. Four varieties of this disease are known:

Sinus bradycardia

Slow heart rate is one of the key symptoms sinus bradycardia. This pathology affects the sinus node, which serves as an inductor of electrical impulses. The heart rate drops to 50-30 beats/min. Pathology is quite dangerous - it is often found in outwardly "healthy" people undergoing a routine medical examination.

The reasons are different, but most of them lie in the field of congenital genetic anomalies (reduced nodal automatism).

The risk group includes professional athletes. Constant training changes their circulation pattern and energy metabolism. However, the reasons for the change in rhythm are very diverse. Let's list them:

  • starvation;
  • imbalance of the nervous system (vegetative department);
  • hypothermia;
  • nicotine and lead intoxication;
  • infectious diseases (typhoid fever, jaundice, meningitis);
  • increased intracranial pressure in tumors and edema of the brain;
  • consequences of taking certain drugs (digitalis, beta-blockers, verapamil, quinidine);
  • sclerotic changes in the myocardium;
  • thyroid dysfunction.

The heart rate increases sharply, exceeding 90 beats / min. The sinus node sets the rhythm, and the heart rate rises to 160 beats. This indicator decreases gradually. Usually a faster rhythm is a consequence physical activity, this is normal. Pathology manifests itself in the fact that the patient feels an abnormal heartbeat at rest.

It is not considered an independent disease. Pathology develops against the background various ailments and wrong lifestyle. This disease is dangerous because the disturbed blood supply is reflected in various systems our body. We list the main causes of tachycardia:

  • vegetative imbalance;
  • fever;
  • anemia;
  • tea abuse and coffee drinks;
  • a number of drugs (calcium channel antagonists, vasoconstrictor anti-cold tablets);
  • hyperthyroidism and pheochromocytoma;
  • heart failure;
  • heart defects and pulmonary pathologies.

With sinus arrhythmia, the sinus node continues to induce impulses, but gives them a variable frequency. A disturbed heart rhythm is developed, which is characterized by slowdowns and accelerations. In this case, the heart rate will fluctuate within the normal range - 60-90 beats. In healthy people, sinus arrhythmia is associated with breathing - the heart rate changes with inhalation / exhalation.

When might sinus arrhythmia be treated? It will not be possible to determine the "fatal line" on your own - for this you need to contact a professional cardiologist. When recording an ECG, the doctor asks the patient to hold their breath. In this case, the respiratory arrhythmia disappears, and only sinus arrhythmia remains. Pathological form ailment is rare - it is a sign of heart disease.

Paroxysmal tachycardia

Heart contractions in this disease become more frequent / slow down suddenly - in attacks. The correct rhythm is maintained for a long period, but sometimes anomalies occur. The source of failures can be localized in different areas of the heart - the heart rate directly depends on this.

The pulse of adults often accelerates to 220 beats, in children - up to 300. The duration of paroxysms also differs - attacks disappear in a matter of seconds or stretch for hours.

The causes of tachycardia lie in the launch of a focus of increased automatism and pathological circulation of the electrical impulse. The disease can be based on myocardial damage - sclerotic, necrotic, inflammatory and dystrophic. Symptoms may include nausea, dizziness, and weakness.

Here are the main factors that affect the clinical picture:

  • condition of the contractile myocardium;
  • heart rate;
  • the duration of the heartbeat;
  • localization of the ectopic driver;
  • seizure duration.

Causes of heart failure in atrial fibrillation

We did not mention another form of the disease - atrial fibrillation, also called. The atria in this case flutter, and the ventricles receive 10-15 percent less blood. The state of tachycardia already discussed above sets in. The patient fully learns what cardiac arrhythmia is - heart rate increases to 180 beats.

Irregular heartbeats can take other forms. The pulse drops to 30-60 beats - the doctors state bradycardia. Similar symptoms are fraught with the use of a pacemaker.

We list the main causes of atrial fibrillation:

  • hormonal disorders (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, nodular goiter);
  • heart failure;
  • heart disease or its valves;
  • increased blood pressure;
  • diabetes mellitus and concomitant obesity;
  • lung diseases (bronchial asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis, chronic pneumonia);
  • excessive alcohol consumption;
  • row medications;
  • wearing tight clothing;
  • diuretics.

Risk factors

The causes of all forms of pathology are quite similar. Most of them are the result of some diseases, the patient's wrong lifestyle, or are hereditary. After analyzing the sources of heart failure, the doctors deduced the main risk factors.

Here they are:

  • genetic predisposition;
  • high blood pressure;
  • thyroid disease;
  • electrolyte disturbances;
  • diabetes;
  • the use of stimulants.

Most of these factors have been discussed above. May lead to electrolyte disturbances malnutrition- Calcium, sodium, magnesium and potassium must be present in food.

Forbidden psychostimulants include primarily caffeine and nicotine - thanks to them, extrasystole develops. Subsequently, ventricular fibrillation can cause sudden cardiac death.

How to recognize arrhythmia - symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of tachycardia and bradycardia have a number of minor differences. Cardiac arrhythmia at first develops in a latent form, without showing itself in any way. Subsequently, symptoms are found that indicate arterial hypertension, cardiac ischemia, brain tumors and thyroid pathology. Here are the main signs of arrhythmia:

  • dizziness;
  • general weakness;
  • dyspnea;
  • fast fatiguability;
  • darkening in the eyes;
  • borderline states of the brain (it seems to the patient that he is about to lose consciousness).

If you have prolonged loss of consciousness, lasting about 5-10 minutes, you can "cut off" bradycardia. Such fainting is not inherent in this form of arrhythmia. The symptoms of tachycardia look a little different and at first look like a general malaise. They look like this:

Methods of diagnostic studies

Symptoms of a suspected arrhythmia need to be carefully checked. Alarming signs include not only palpitations, but also sudden fading of the heart, pressure drops, weakness, interspersed with drowsiness.

If you have the above symptoms, it is time to see a doctor and undergo a full diagnosis. You should contact a cardiologist - first of all, he will begin to check thyroid gland and detect possible heart disease.

Many methods have been developed to diagnose arrhythmia. Be sure to record an electrocardiogram - it can be short and long. Sometimes doctors provoke an arrhythmia in order to record readings and more accurately determine the source of the problem. Thus, diagnostics is divided into passive and active. Passive methods include:

  • Electrocardiography. The electrodes are attached to the patient's chest, arms and legs. The duration of the phases of contraction of the heart muscle is studied, the intervals are fixed.
  • echocardiography. It uses an ultrasonic sensor. The doctor receives an image of the heart chambers, observes the movement of the valves and walls, and specifies their dimensions.
  • Daily ECG monitoring. This diagnosis is also called the Holter method. The patient carries a portable recorder with him at all times. This happens during the day. Physicians receive information about heart rate during sleep, rest and activity.

In some cases, passive research is not enough. Then doctors induce arrhythmia by artificial means. Several standard tests have been developed for this. Here they are:

  • mapping;
  • electrophysiological study;
  • tilt table test.
  • First aid

    Attacks of arrhythmia can proceed independently and begin suddenly. The attack ends just as unpredictably. If the patient has the first attack, immediately call an ambulance. Often the orderlies drive slowly, so you should worry about the health of the victim. Do this:

    • calm the patient, suppress the manifestations of panic;
    • create rest conditions for the patient - lay him down or seat him in a comfortable chair;
    • try to change the position of the victim's body;
    • sometimes you need to call vomiting reflex- do this with two fingers, irritating the larynx.

    What happens next depends on medical workers. Medicines for cardiac arrhythmia will be prescribed by the cardiologist later - when the patient is "pumped out" and a preliminary diagnosis is made.

    Seeing the symptoms of arrhythmia, try to interrupt any physical activity.

    Permissible use of sedatives:

    • motherwort;
    • valerian;
    • corvalol;
    • valocordin (within 40-50 drops);
    • elenium.

    Complex of therapeutic and preventive measures

    It is impossible to give an unambiguous recommendation about which pills will help to cope with cardiac arrhythmia. This disease develops due to various lesions heart muscle (organic and functional). For example, changes in automatism lead to sinus tachycardia, arrhythmias, or bradycardia. If there are chronic / acute cardiac pathologies, they must be urgently treated.

    When a specific form of arrhythmia is detected, a secondary prevention. This type treatment is not practiced for bradycardia. But with tachycardia, you will have to drink medicines. You will be prescribed antirhythmic drugs:

    • calcium antagonists (Diltiazem, Verapamil);
    • adrenergic blockers (Atenolol, Anaprilin, Egilok);
    • Sotalex;
    • Cardarone;
    • Propanorm;
    • Allalinin.

    It is strictly forbidden to take these substances without a doctor's prescription. Strict supervision is necessary, as misuse of drugs is fraught with consequences. For example, new forms of arrhythmias may arise. So don't take unnecessary risks.

    Likely consequences

    The main consequences of arrhythmia are heart failure and thromboembolism. Poor contraction of the heart muscle leads to heart failure - internal blood supply is disturbed. Various organs suffer from a lack of oxygen, begin systemic disorders. This leads to a number of serious illnesses and even deaths.

    With an arrhythmia, the blood is not just pumped, it begins to "churn" in the atria. This can lead to thromboembolism. In some areas of the heart, blood clots form - over time they tend to come off. A severed blood clot blocks the heart, which leads to disastrous consequences:

    • heart attack;
    • angina;
    • death;
    • brain stroke.

    Ways to strengthen the heart

    To get rid of the impending disaster, it is not necessary to absorb pills in packs. Prevention comes down to correct regimen nutrition and the rejection of some bad habits.

    According to statistics, smokers are at risk - among them the disease occurs much more often. In addition to giving up nicotine, there are other preventive measures:

    • shaping;
    • fitness;
    • evening runs;
    • Interesting article, Thank you. After another such attack with a strong heartbeat, she went to the doctor, did an ECG, passed the tests, fortunately they did not reveal anything very serious, but to strengthen the heart and reduce increased rate I take Cardioactive Taurine for cholesterol. There were no more problems with the heart rhythm, and the cholesterol slowly went down.

    The heart contracts due to the conduction system, which is located inside its muscular walls. It generates nerve impulses, sets the rhythm and frequency of shocks. The normal rhythm is 70-80 beats / minute, which can be easily determined by the pulse. When this indicator is different, a violation of the heart rhythm is recorded in the direction of falling or speeding up. If the failure does not recover itself, a diagnosis is made: arrhythmia. In addition to a change in rhythm, there may be a violation of the conduction of electrical impulses. This type of heart rhythm disorder is called blockade. It manifests itself alone or in combination with arrhythmia.

    Why does the heart rate change?

    Physiological change can be observed during activity, physical or mental. For example, during sports, exercise, walking, and even during loud, intense conversation, the pulse quickens. During sleep, it slows down. Also, the heart beats faster against the background of a psycho-emotional shake-up: laughter, fear, crying. Although the organ contracts itself, spontaneously (in the sinoatrial node), the brain influences it through the activation of nerve fibers.

    The above reasons have a natural basis. When the body returns to a resting state, the heart rhythm is restored. Another thing is persistent arrhythmia, which has become pathological. In this case, disturbances in the activity of the organ and circulatory disorders are recorded. Such an arrhythmia must be treated, since it does not go away on its own.

    The reasons for the failure are still being studied. Changes in the endocrine and nervous systems have been named as proven culprits for heart rhythm and conduction disturbances. Also, organic changes in the heart itself lead to arrhythmia:

    • developmental anomalies;
    • structural disturbances.

    These causes develop against the background of other heart diseases, congenital or acquired earlier.

    Arrhythmias in numbers

    The main symptoms of rhythm disturbance are other, different from normal, frequency, sequence and rhythm of myocardial contractions. A person can identify them by placing 2 fingers on the places where the main arteries are close to the surface. These include:

    • temple;
    • wrist;
    • elbow (inner side);
    • neck on the left side (on the carotid artery).

    Depending on the age of the person, the heart rate norms are distributed as follows (beats / minute):

    • in adults 60-80 (including children from 10 years old) and up to 100 strokes in the elderly;
    • in newborns 100-150 in the first 3 months of life;
    • babies at 3-6 months of age - 90-120;
    • infants aged 6-12 months - 80-120;
    • children under 10 years of age - 70-130.

    It should be said that in an adult during sleep, the pulse can drop to 50 beats / min. During the load, the frequency of contractions reaches 160 beats / min. Such indicators are considered normal if the parameters are restored immediately after waking up or stopping the load.

    Varieties of arrhythmias

    If the rhythm disturbance occurred in the direction of its fall, bradycardia is recorded. If in the direction of acceleration, . However, the classification of arrhythmias is based on a more precise indication of the place of origin or other features. For example, "sinus tachycardia" means a failure in the sinus node. It is there that the cells that generate the impulse (pacemakers) are located.

    This classification made it possible to distribute the pathology into the following varieties (the most common are listed):

    • sinus tachycardia;
    • sinus bradycardia;

    There is also a conditional classification of these states by type, which divides arrhythmias into those that appear due to a violation of any function. For example, autowave.

    How does arrhythmia threaten children?

    In children, arrhythmias are diagnosed, as a rule, of a congenital nature. These include ventricular tachycardias, for example, Brugada's syndrome, of the "pirouette" type. These heart rhythm disturbances in children are considered life-threatening, as they differ in risk sudden death. That's why early diagnosis important if the child has relatives with similar pathologies. Among children's arrhythmias, tachycardia and extrasystole are diagnosed more often than others, less often -.

    In the event of an acute attack of tachycardia in a child (you can read more about tachycardia in children), the following symptoms are observed:

    • abrupt change in state;
    • heartache;
    • strong heartbeat;
    • shortness of breath, darkening in the eyes;
    • the appearance of a "coma in the throat";
    • pulse up to 250 beats / min.

    The presence of even some of these signs should be the reason for an urgent call to the ambulance. It is important to remember that a sharp failure in the work of the heart in children can lead to fainting, sudden death during physical exertion (jumping, climbing, running, active game). The same applies to teenagers and adults.

    More about arrhythmias

    1. Extrasystole is characterized by the appearance of an impulse not in the sinus node, as expected, but outside it. Such a phenomenon can occur against the background of any heart disease, as well as without pathology. For example, under the influence of stress, alcohol, drugs (glycosides), while smoking.

    With extrasystole, the organ contracts once again, out of turn, between normal myocardial beats. If there are no pathological changes in it, the condition is considered harmless. With extrasystole, an extra beat comes out of the tissue of the ventricle or atrium. After such a push, there is a pause, and the real impulse occurs later than the necessary moment. A person feels the effect of extrasystole like this:

    • body "froze";
    • followed by a strong push;
    • the pulse seemed to "fell out" at that moment;
    • then - a light blow, and everything repeated.

    Diagnosis of extrasystole is carried out using an echocardiograph and an ECG. With such a violation of the heart rhythm, treatment is based on taking antidepressants, sedatives, antiarrhythmic drugs. In addition, it is necessary to get rid of the underlying disease - the causes of this condition.
    Elderly people suffer from extrasystole more than others. For them, the most dangerous is the ventricular form of this condition, marked by an unfavorable prognosis.

    1. Sinus tachycardia is characterized by a rapid heartbeat even at absolute rest. The pulse does not fall below 100 beats / min. The upper limit can reach 380 beats / min in an adult.

    For such a violation of the rhythm of the heart is characterized by weakness, dizziness, loss of strength. However, a healthy person also has a very strong heartbeat from an excess of emotions or great physical exertion. It must be remembered, however, that it is temporary.

    Pathology is defined as follows:

    • a rhythm failure difference of up to 10% is considered normal;
    • a difference greater than 10% allows the diagnosis to be made.

    It should be said that tachycardia goes unnoticed at the beginning of the development of the disease. Often, pathology is detected by chance on an ECG. Treatment depends on the nature of the origin. If it is heart failure, herbal preparations (cardiac glycosides) are prescribed. If sinus tachycardia has formed against the background of neurocirculatory dystonia, it is necessary sedatives. And the treatment of the underlying disease.

    1. Paroxysmal tachycardia (ventricular, this includes) is characterized by sharp and severe attacks heartbeat. At rest, suddenly the beats reach 300 per minute. There is a high risk of loss of consciousness and trauma. The patient may suddenly fall if at that moment he was standing, walking. It's an emergency, so it's important that someone call an ambulance.

    The attack lasts a few seconds, minutes, sometimes several days. After its termination, a normal rhythm is observed. For the relief of an acute condition, an antiarrhythmic drug is used once. Or “vagal tests” are carried out - special manipulations, palpation methods, physical impact to the vagus nerve.

    There are the following types of paroxysmal tachycardia, which depend on the localization of the pathology:

    • nodal;
    • atrial;
    • ventricular.

    The latter is the most dangerous, as it often develops against the background of myocardial damage, that is, it means that a heart attack has occurred. To stop an attack of this form, electropulse therapy is used: exposure to a current discharge using a special device.

    1. Sinus bradycardia is diagnosed with a persistent fall in the rhythm to 60 or less. In a healthy person, it can be observed in a dream, but not in a state of cheerfulness. The causes of occurrence are often determined outside the myocardium.

    Of these, the most common:

    • neuroses;
    • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
    • hypothyroidism.

    Temporarily, such a rhythm disturbance occurs due to incorrect intake, with an increase in dose. Severe bradycardia may require pacing, sometimes permanent.

    Symptoms of the disease:

    • weakness, fatigue after little activity;
    • dizziness (often, but not necessarily and not in everyone);
    • the need for constant rest, even if there is no load;
    • with a strong fall in the rhythm, loss of consciousness.

    Bradycardia can occur when using such drugs: verapamil, reserpine, cardiac glycosides. In all cases, treatment focuses on the underlying disease.

    1. Atrial fibrillation is formed in the atria and causes a chaotic contraction of some of their fibers. As a result, the ventricles contract irregularly. A person does not feel any pronounced signs if the attack is weak or moderate. At the same time, the pulse is 100-150 beats / min. may be considered natural.

    However, the ECG shows waves of flicker (fibrillation) instead of normal atrial contraction. Their number is more than normal, so the patient will only notice an increase in the pulse if he measures it.

    Atrial fibrillation is permanent or paroxysmal in nature, lasting up to several days. At this time, other organs do not receive the usual volume of blood, since the heart does not pump it. Such jumps in blood circulation lead to the formation of blood clots. Clots and, as a result, blockage of blood vessels - main danger of this type arrhythmias.

    The cause of the disease is various pathologies in the heart or in other organs. For example:

    • hypertension, diabetes, thyrotoxicosis;
    • pathology mitral valve, sinus node;
    • intoxication of the body from alcohol, drugs, poisons.

    If the causes are not indicated, they speak of an idiopathic form of the disease. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease or relieving symptoms. In this case, it is necessary to restore sinus rhythm, the frequency of contractions, to prevent the formation of blood clots in the atria by taking anticoagulants.

    1. Ventricular fibrillation. Together with ventricular tachycardia this condition is one of the most dangerous species cardiac arrhythmias, because it leads to clinical death. It ends in death in 90% of patients. It is in this case that life depends on how quickly emergency assistance is called and arrived, resuscitation begins.

    The only method of stopping an attack is electrical impulse therapy (EIT), also called cardioversion. An electrodefibrillator device is used, which delivers an electric shock to chest through flat electrodes.

    This is not an independent disease, but a consequence of cardiac pathology. The condition is characterized by the rapid vibration of the ventricles instead of their contraction. Leads to circulatory arrest, as it stops cardiac output. It is at this point that the heart is said to have stopped. If electrical impulse therapy helped, and electrical activity body recovered, the patient is transferred to treatment with medicines.

    When Medicines Don't Help

    Non-drug methods are resorted to in all severe cases with any kind of arrhythmia. These include surgical operations and less traumatic methods: cryodestruction, radiofrequency elimination of the site responsible for the arrhythmia ().
    With frequent recurrences of seizures, the doctor considers the possibility of installing a pacemaker for the patient. The device is fixed under the skin on the left side of the chest. In its action, it is a pacemaker, as it creates and controls artificial electrical impulses. Runs on batteries. modern medicine develops technologies to achieve microscopic dimensions of the device and sew it directly into the ventricle of the heart.

    heart block

    Blockade, just like arrhythmia, means violations in the contractile function of the heart. However, this condition is not always visible on the pulse. Blockade means a failure in the conduction of an electrical impulse. This failure occurs because there is an obstacle in the way of excitation. The condition can be compared to a broken electrical circuit, through which the current has stopped flowing.

    How does the blockade work?

    The nerve impulse is generated in the sinus node, which is located in the right atrium. In order for the heart muscle to contract, it goes through the following sections:

    sinus node > atrioventricular node (bottom of the right atrium) > atrioventricular bundle (bundle of His; consists of 2 legs: right, left) > legs of His > Purkinje fibers (branching from the legs of His, passing throughout the myocardium of the ventricles).

    In the left atrium, the same conductive fibers provide an impulse, but they go into it directly from the sinus node.

    Classification

    There are several types of blockades, their names are determined by the place of localization. Namely:

    • (SA, or atrial);
    • atrioventricular (AV, or atrioventricular);
    • intraventricular (the region of the bundle of His and Purkinje fibers).

    By intensity, all blockades are divided into 3 degrees. The first means the delay in the transmission of impulses. The second is a partial violation of conduction (the delay interval increases, and some contractions completely “fall out”). The third degree is diagnosed with total absence transmission of impulses.

    Sinoatrial blockade

    Observed within the atrium. It is a result of excessive activity of the vagus nerve. The condition can develop against the background of taking glycosides and potassium preparations. And also during significant physical activity.

    signs

    Symptoms at the 1st degree are practically not observed. In case of progression, dizziness, pallor, loss of consciousness are noted. These symptoms appear suddenly and pass quickly, after a few minutes. At the 3rd degree, a heart attack can develop.

    Treatment

    Sinoatrial blockade is relieved medicines eg atropine (injection). However, this is an auxiliary measure. You can get rid of constant attacks only by excluding provoking factors, by treating the underlying disease.

    Atrioventricular block (AV)

    Synonym - atrioventricular. Slow or absent impulse in the area: exit from the atria / entry into the ventricles. Possible reasons are:

    • overdose of glycosides, antiarrhythmic drugs;
    • physical activity in athletes;
    • heart disease: defects, heart attack.

    Symptoms

    There are no visible symptoms at grade 1. The condition is usually detected only on an ECG. At the 2nd degree, pulse jumps, bradycardia, dizziness are observed. AV blockade of the 3rd degree is characterized by chest pain, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness. May lead to sudden death.

    How can I help you?

    If the 3rd degree has developed, as, it is urgent to call emergency care. Due to the fact that a person cannot know if he has a heart attack, it is better to call an ambulance in any case. The patient is placed in intensive care, where, if necessary, electrical impulse therapy is carried out, followed by medicinal effect for the underlying disease. Symptomatic treatment in case of relapse, it is replaced by the installation of a pacemaker.

    Grade 1 treatment is not required if it is an isolated condition. If it is a consequence of another disease, relapses will continue until the cause is eliminated. At the 2nd degree, treatment with atropine is performed to improve the passage of the impulse. It may also require temporary or constant wear pacemaker.

    Intraventricular block

    This type of conduction disturbance occurs in the region of the legs of the His bundle and the fibers branching along the myocardium. A large number of branches provides a state when the impulse, when it encounters an obstacle, propagates in detours.

    Kinds

    The blockade may affect large areas, for example, the posterior or anterior branches of one of the legs of His. If one side ceases function, ventricular excitation passes through the other. Because of this, a deviation of the electrical axis is formed, which is well defined on the ECG.

    Risks and treatment

    Unilateral blockade in one branch of the pedicle is almost normal in the elderly. This is due to the fact that this condition is formed against the background of hypertension, hypertension, cardiac ischemia. The danger is represented by bilateral blockades when there is an obstacle in both branches (posterior and anterior) of one of the legs of His. In this case, there is a high risk complete blockade organ.
    AT right leg bundle of His, obstacles occur three times more often than in the left. The condition does not require treatment, but it is necessary to determine the cause of its appearance. Often these are pathologies of other parts of the heart. In the most difficult cases when the function of one of the ventricles is completely disrupted, heart failure develops. For treatment, pacing is performed, then drug support, the search for the cause and getting rid of it.