Many friends have heard of arrhythmia to varying degrees in their daily lives. Arrhythmia is a disease that poses a significant threat to the human heart, and can be prevented through certain methods. Early diagnosis of arrhythmia is of positive significance for its treatment. So, I believe many people want to know how to identify arrhythmia. Let me explain it to you below.
1. Overview of Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is caused by abnormal excitation of the sinoatrial node or excitation occurring outside the sinoatrial node. Excitation conduction is blocked, slow, or transmitted through abnormal channels, resulting in abnormal heart beat frequency or rhythm caused by abnormal cardiac activity or conduction. Arrhythmia is one of the important cardiovascular diseases, which can occur independently or in conjunction with other cardiovascular diseases. It can cause sudden death due to sudden onset or sustained involvement of the heart, leading to failure. The meaning of words such as "arrhythmia" or "arrhythmia" tends to indicate arrhythmia, which includes both abnormal rhythm and frequency.
1.1 Causes of Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is more common in multiple organic heart diseases, among which coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathy, rheumatic heart disease, myocarditis, etc. are the most common, especially in heart failure or acute myocardial infarction. Arrhythmia that occurs in basic healthy individuals or those with autonomic nervous system dysfunction is relatively rare. Other causes include electrolyte or endocrine disorders, hypothermia, anesthesia, cardiac or thoracic surgery, drug effects, and central nervous system disorders. Some causes are still unclear.
1.2. Symptoms of arrhythmia
(1) Symptoms of coronary artery blood supply deficiency: Arrhythmia can lead to a decrease in coronary artery blood flow, but it rarely causes myocardial ischemia. However, for patients with coronary heart disease, arrhythmia can induce or exacerbate myocardial ischemia, mainly manifested as angina, acute heart failure, peripheral vascular failure, acute myocardial infarction, etc.
(2) Symptoms of cerebral artery blood supply deficiency: In patients with normal cerebral blood vessels, abnormal cerebral hemodynamics will not have serious consequences, but if cerebral blood vessels are diseased, it can cause cerebral blood supply deficiency, mainly manifested as dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, temporary total blindness, coma, convulsions, paralysis and other transient or permanent brain damage.
(3) Symptoms of renal artery blood supply deficiency: After arrhythmia, renal blood flow also decreases to varying degrees, manifested as proteinuria, oliguria, and azotemia.
(4) Symptoms of mesenteric artery blood supply deficiency: When rapid arrhythmia occurs, blood flow decreases and the mesenteric artery spasms, which can lead to gastrointestinal ischemia, manifested as bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and even bleeding, ulcers, or paralysis.
(5) Symptoms of cardiac dysfunction include fatigue, exhaustion, difficulty breathing, and coughing.
2. Identification of arrhythmia
How to identify arrhythmia? Firstly, it is necessary to determine whether it is arrhythmia, and then identify the type of arrhythmia for targeted treatment. Specifically, as follows: (1) Some manifestations of arrhythmia are sudden palpitations or thumping of the heart, which should be considered as arrhythmia.
(2) Part of the situation is when the patient is emotionally agitated, or when they feel uncomfortable after drinking a lot of coffee, alcohol, or strong tea. In this case, arrhythmia should be considered, and the patient only needs to observe or rest.
(3) Distinguish based on the speed and duration of symptoms. If the duration is relatively short and the symptoms are not severe, continue to observe. If the onset is particularly urgent and the symptoms are severe, seek medical attention immediately and perform an electrocardiogram or 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram for examination. If the attack is particularly urgent, fast, or frequent, it can be diagnosed whether arrhythmia has occurred when going to the hospital for examination. If the attack is relatively rare or sporadic, even if the examination is done, the problem may not be found. However, for safety reasons, an electrocardiogram can be performed first, and 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram observation can be carried out to confirm whether arrhythmia has occurred.
(4) The occurrence of arrhythmia is partly caused by supraventricular arrhythmia, partly by ventricular arrhythmia, and partly by severe arrhythmia on the basis of the original heart disease, accompanied by symptoms such as ventricular fibrillation and tachycardia. For example, some young people may experience frequent ventricular premature beats, but there are also some ventricular premature beats that, if specially induced, can cause severe arrhythmia, known as RonT phenomenon, which can lead to death in severe cases. In this situation, it is necessary to confirm whether it is ventricular arrhythmia or further perform radiofrequency ablation to eliminate ventricular premature beats. If there is a thumping heartbeat and it continues to beat, this arrhythmia can be considered as supraventricular arrhythmia. This type of supraventricular arrhythmia is a curable disease and the only one among multiple heart diseases that can be cured. Some pre-existing heart diseases and heart failure can cause ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, and further treatment can also be carried out.
3. Preventive measures for arrhythmia
(1) Prevention of triggers. After diagnosis, patients with arrhythmia often experience high levels of tension, depression, anxiety, etc. They pay serious attention to the disease itself, frequently seek medical treatment, and urgently hope to use medication to control the disease, while completely ignoring the prevention and treatment of the causes and triggers, which can easily lead to a situation of overwhelming attention and putting the cart before the horse. At present, common causes of arrhythmia are known to include overwork, smoking, stress, alcohol abuse, agitation, indigestion, overeating, infectious fever, low blood potassium and magnesium levels, and excessive salt intake. Patients can summarize their experience based on their previous condition and avoid possible causes, which is safer, simpler, and more effective than simply taking medication.
(2) Maintain stable emotions. Maintain a stable and peaceful mood, relax mentally, but due to nervousness. Psychological factors, especially tension, can easily lead to arrhythmia. Therefore, patients need to approach their illness with a calm mindset, avoiding excessive sadness, happiness, and anger. They should not be too concerned about trivial matters and should first comfort themselves when encountering situations. They should not watch overly stimulating and tense videos or sports games.
(3) Self monitoring. When arrhythmia is difficult to detect, patients are the most likely to detect the problem. Some arrhythmias often have premonitory symptoms. If detected in a timely manner and corresponding measures are taken, it can reduce or even avoid the recurrence of arrhythmias. Patients with atrial fibrillation generally have premonitory symptoms or prodromal symptoms, such as palpitations, palpitations with increased "missing pulse". At this time, early rest and taking tranquilizers can prevent problems before they occur.
(4) Regular lifestyle. To develop a habit of regular sleep and ensure the quality of sleep. Exercise should be moderate, not forced or excessive, and not engage in intense or competitive activities. Activities such as qigong and tai chi can be carried out. The shower water should not be too hot, and the shower time should not be too long.