Can arrhythmia be cured?

Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
Updated on November 24, 2024
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Arrhythmias come in many types, most of which are curable. Once arrhythmia occurs clinically, an electrocardiogram should be performed as soon as possible to determine the type of arrhythmia. Common arrhythmias can be classified into tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias, and based on the location of occurrence, into supraventricular arrhythmias and ventricular arrhythmias. Clinically common are supraventricular arrhythmias, such as sinus tachycardia, junctional tachycardia, along with atrial tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter. These generally do not affect the stability of hemodynamics and are relatively easy to treat. On the other hand, ventricular arrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and sinus arrest are clinically challenging to cure and require aggressive resuscitation.

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Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
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What department should I go to for arrhythmia?

Arrhythmia is generally treated in the department of cardiovascular medicine. What is arrhythmia? It mainly refers to abnormalities in the frequency, rhythm, origin, conduction speed, or excitation sequence of the heart's impulses. Based on the principles of arrhythmia occurrences, it can be divided into two major categories: abnormalities in impulse formation and abnormalities in impulse conduction. Abnormalities in impulse formation include sinus arrhythmias and ectopic rhythms, while abnormalities in impulse conduction include interference atrioventricular dissociation, sinoatrial conduction block, intra-atrial conduction block, atrioventricular conduction block, and bundle branch block, among others.

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Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
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Does arrhythmia premature beat have danger?

Premature beats, also known as premature contractions, abbreviated as premature beats, are a type of early ectopic heartbeats. They can be classified according to their origin into sinus, atrial, junctional, and ventricular, with ventricular being the most common. Premature beats are a common type of ectopic rhythm that can occur on the basis of sinus or ectopic rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation. They can occur occasionally or frequently and may irregularly or regularly follow each or several normal beats, forming a bigeminy or trigeminy pattern of premature beats. Generally, sinus, atrial, and junctional premature beats do not involve rapid ventricular rates and are usually not life-threatening. Although most premature beats are functional and do not cause damage to the heart, some pathological premature beats occurring on the basis of structural heart disease may further induce arrhythmias. In particular, ventricular premature beats may provoke ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation and in severe cases, may lead to sudden cardiac death. Additionally, multifocal atrioventricular premature beats are often a precursor to atrial fibrillation.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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Is sinus arrhythmia serious?

Sinus arrhythmia is a relatively common type of arrhythmia in clinical practice. It is typically identified through electrocardiogram testing. If no other specific symptoms are present other than sinus arrhythmia, sinus bradycardia, or sinus tachycardia, and if there is no structural heart disease, generally, there are no serious concerns. Often, these kinds of arrhythmias are caused by autonomic nervous system dysfunction, leading to an imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. To address this irregular heartbeat, it is advisable to rest adequately in daily life and to include some aerobic exercise. Exercise can enhance cardiac contractility and strengthen regular heart function, which can help correct the arrhythmia.

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Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
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What medicine is used for arrhythmia?

There is still no consensus on the drugs commonly used for arrhythmia. The main classes used clinically are as follows: The first class is sodium channel blockers, which include three subclasses: moderate, mild, and significant sodium channel blockers, respectively comprising quinidine, lidocaine, and propafenone. The second class mainly consists of adrenergic receptor blockers, with propranolol being a representative drug. The third class of drugs selectively prolongs the repolarization process, among which amiodarone is commonly used clinically. The fourth class is calcium channel blockers, which mainly block calcium channels and inhibit the inflow of calcium, with verapamil being the main representative drug. Long-term use of anti-arrhythmia drugs can cause varying degrees of side effects, with severe cases possibly leading to ventricular arrhythmia or fatal cardiac conduction block. Therefore, when using these drugs clinically, it is essential to strictly control the indications, monitor adverse reactions, and strictly follow the doctor's prescription for rational medication.

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Written by Chen Ya
Geriatrics
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What should be paid attention to in daily life with arrhythmia?

For managing arrhythmias, it's important to pay attention to several aspects. First, maintain a regular lifestyle and ensure adequate sleep. Second, the living environment should be quiet and serene to avoid noise, and it’s beneficial to grow various plants for a better temperament. Third, balance work and rest according to personal capacities and engage in appropriate physical activities such as walking, Tai Chi, and Qigong; moderate sexual activities and avoid colds. Fourth, strive to maintain a standard weight and not indulge in overeating, as obesity can increase cardiac load. Fifth, be mindful of changes in seasons, weather, and climate, as extreme cold or hot conditions can significantly impact the disease, potentially aggravating or triggering arrhythmias. Sixth, diet should be light with frequent, small meals, and avoid coffee, strong alcohol, fried foods, and minimise strong tea. Seventh, keep a stable emotional state and try to eliminate stress, fear, anxiety, irritation, and anger which are stimulants that could negatively affect your emotions. Eighth, in addition to daily medications, have emergency medications prescribed by a doctor on hand, such as Xintiandan, Shexiang Baoxin Pill, Xintongding, Atropine, etc. Ninth, if there are sudden exacerbations of arrhythmia accompanied by palpitations, chest tightness, dizziness, low blood pressure, and sweating, and in severe cases fainting, seek medical attention promptly.