An arrhythmia is a change in the regular rhythm of the heart. The heart may seem to skip a beat, beat irregularly, or establish a very fast or very slow rhythm. Many times, there is no recognizable cause of an arrhythmia. In other cases, heart disease may be the cause of the irregular heartbeat. Arrhythmias may also be caused by stress or the use of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, diet pills, or excessive use of cough and cold medicines.

Fortunately, most arrhythmias are relatively benign and not overly dangerous. For some people, arrhythmias are associated with heart disease. In most of these cases, the heart disease actually poses a greater threat than the arrhythmia itself.

However, for a small number of patients, the arrhythmias themselves are very dangerous. For example, patients with a very slow heartbeat, called bradycardia, can experience light-headedness and fainting spells. If the arrhythmia is not treated, the heart could stop beating.

Atrial fibrillation is another type of arrhythmia, characterized by very rapid contractions of the heart’s atria. This condition can affect the normal function of the heart due to the speed and the irregularity of the heartbeat. It can also increase the risk of blood clotting in the upper chambers of the heart and result in a stroke.

Serious arrhythmias are treated in several ways depending on what is causing the arrhythmia. Sometimes the heart disease is treated to control the arrhythmia. In other cases, the arrhythmia itself may be treated using medications. Some patients need to have an electrical device implanted, such as a pacemaker or an implantable defibrillator, to control their arrhythmias. In rare cases, other procedures may be necessary to bring the irregular heartbeat under control.