Ever felt your heart flutter, skip a beat or beat very fast? It could be a sign of arrhythmia, more commonly known as irregular heartbeat.

Arrhythmia is quite common, especially among the elderly. Though most of these symptoms are harmless, some cases of arrhythmia can be dangerous and may require immediate treatment and monitoring thereafter.

Arrhythmia: The Technical Meaning
The term "arrhythmia" refers to the abnormal rhythm of your heart. In technical terms, it means any change from the normal sequence of electrical impulses.  The electrical impulses may happen too fast, too slow, or erratically, thus causing heart to beat too fast, too slow or erratically. When the heart doesn`t beat properly, it lacks the ability to pump blood effectively and as a result, other body organs such as the lungs, brain and all other organs start to dysfunction and they either shut down or become damaged.

The heart beats at a set rhythm of approximately 70 to 80 beats per minute. Based on this Arrhythmia can be classified into two types:

Bradycardia is when the heart rate is too slow - less than 60 beats per minute.
Tachycardia is when the heart rate is too fast - more than 100 beats per minute.

When the heart`s ability to work is affected for a prolonged time, a life-threatening situation can arise.

Symptoms that may indicate the presence of Arrhythmia are:

Fatigue
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Fainting (syncope) or near-fainting spells
Rapid heartbeat or pounding
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
In extreme cases, collapse and sudden cardiac arrest

So, in case you’ve experienced any of the above mentioned symptoms, do visit your doctor right away to rule out complications.

BDST: 1340 HRS, FEB-26, 2014