Normally, your heart works as a pump that brings blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.To help this happen, your heart has an electrical system that makes sure it contracts (squeezes) in an orderly way.
The electrical impulse that signals your heart to contract begins in the sinoatrial node (also called the sinus node or SA node). This is your heart's natural pacemaker.
The signal leaves the SA node and travels though the heart along a set electrical pathway.
Different nerve messages signal your heart to beat slower or faster.
Arrhythmias are caused by problems with the heart's electrical conduction system.
Abnormal extra signals may occur
Electrical signals may be blocked or slowed
Electrical signals travel in new or different pathways through the heart
Some common causes of abnormal heartbeats are:
Abnormal levels of potassium or other substances
Heart attack, or a damaged heart muscle from a past heart attack
Heart disease that is present at birth (congenital)
Heart failure or an enlarged heart
Overactive thyroid gland
Arrhythmias may also be caused by some substances or drugs, including:
Alcohol, caffiene, or stimulants such as amphetamines
Beta-blockers
Cigarette smoking
Drugs that mimic the activity of the nervous system
Medications used for depression or psychosis
Sometimes anti-arrhythmic medications prescribed to treat one type of arrhythmia will cause another type of arrhythmia.
Some of the more common abnormal heart rhythms are:
Atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter
Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT)
Multifocal atrial tachycardia
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
Heart block or atrioventricular block
Sick sinus syndrome
Ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
What causes cardiac arrhythmia?
Normally, your heart works as a pump that brings blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.To help this happen, your heart has an electrical system that makes sure it contracts (squeezes) in an orderly way.
The electrical impulse that signals your heart to contract begins in the sinoatrial node (also called the sinus node or {{ORGANIZATION}} node). This is your heart's natural pacemaker.
The signal leaves the {{ORGANIZATION}} node and travels though the heart along a set electrical pathway.
Different nerve messages signal your heart to beat slower or faster.
{{NAME}} are caused by problems with the heart's electrical conduction system.
Abnormal extra signals may occur
Electrical signals may be blocked or slowed
Electrical signals travel in new or different pathways through the heart
Some common causes of abnormal heartbeats are:
Abnormal levels of potassium or other substances
Heart attack, or a damaged heart muscle from a past heart attack
Heart disease that is present at birth (congenital)
Heart failure or an enlarged heart
Overactive thyroid gland
{{NAME}} may also be caused by some substances or drugs, including:
Alcohol, caffiene, or stimulants such as amphetamines
Beta-blockers
Cigarette smoking
Drugs that mimic the activity of the nervous system
Medications used for depression or psychosis
Sometimes anti-arrhythmic medications prescribed to treat one type of arrhythmia will cause another type of arrhythmia.
Some of the more common abnormal heart rhythms are:
Atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter
Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia ({{ORGANIZATION}})
Multifocal atrial tachycardia
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
Heart block or atrioventricular block
Sick sinus syndrome
Ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome