Heart Arrhythmias, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions
By Kenneth Kee
()
About this ebook
Arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythm and heart beat.
There are many types of arrhythmias.
They are categorized by some doctors by where they start in the heart (the atria, AV node, or the ventricles).
When an arrhythmia occurs, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.
Tachycardia is a heartbeat that is too fast.
Bradycardia is a heartbeat that is too slow.
Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can be serious or even life threatening.
The four main types of arrhythmia are:
1. Premature (Extra) Beats
Premature beats are the most frequent type of arrhythmia.
They are not harmful most of the time and often do not produce any symptoms.
When symptoms do happen, they normally feel like the fluttering in the chest or a feeling of a skipped heartbeat.
Most of the time, premature beats do not require treatment, particularly in healthy people.
2. Supra-ventricular Arrhythmias
Supra-ventricular arrhythmias are tachycardias (fast heart rates) that begin in the atria or atrioventricular (AV) node.
The AV node is a collection of cells sited between the atria and the ventricles.
Atrial Fibrillation
AF is the most frequent type of serious arrhythmia.
Signals may move throughout the atria in a rapid, disorganized way.
These cause the walls of the atria to quiver very fast (fibrillate) instead of beating normally.
As a result, the atria are not capable of pumping blood into the ventricles the way they should.
In AF, electrical signals can travel through the atria at a rate of more than 300 per minute.
Atrial Flutter
The heart's electrical signals spread through the atria in a fast and regular—instead of irregular—rhythm.
Paroxysmal Supra-ventricular Tachycardia
PSVT is a very fast heart rate that begins and ends suddenly.
PSVT happens because of disorders with the electrical connection between the atria and the ventricles.
A special form of PSVT is termed Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Ventricular Arrhythmias
These arrhythmias begin in the heart's lower chambers, the ventricles.
They can be very risky and normally need medical care right away.
Ventricular tachycardia is a fast, regular beating of the ventricles that may persist for only a few seconds or for much longer.
Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib) happens if disorganized electrical signals induce the ventricles to quiver instead of pump normally.
Brady-arrhythmias
Brady-arrhythmias happen if the heart rate is slower than normal.
If the heart rate is too slow, not enough blood enters the brain.
This can induce the patient to faint.
Frequent symptoms are:
1. Palpitations, feeling "skipped beats"
2. Thumping or fluttering in the chest
3. Racing heart sensation
Also, some can have symptoms that are more generalized, such as:
1. Feeling faint or tired
2. Light-headedness or passing out (syncope)
3. Shortness of breath
4. Chest pain or discomfort
The most successful way to diagnose an arrhythmia is with an electrical recording of the heart rhythm called an electrocardiogram (ECG).
2. This is the use of a Holter monitor or ambulatory ECG monitoring wearing a small portable ECG recording device for 24 hours or longer.
The treatments used for arrhythmias are:
1. Medication to stop or prevent an arrhythmia or control the rate of an arrhythmia
2. Electrical Cardioversion
3. Catheter ablation
4. Pacemaker
5. Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator - ICD
6. Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Replacement
7. Heart Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation - MAZE
8. The life vest is a personal defibrillator worn by a patient at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Heart Arrhythmias
Chapter 2 Atrial Flutter
Chapter 3 Atrial Fibrillation
Chapter 4 Ventricular Fibrillation
Chapter 5 Sick Sinus Syndro
Kenneth Kee
Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"
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Heart Arrhythmias, A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions - Kenneth Kee
Heart Arrhythmias,
A
Simple
Guide
To
The Condition,
Diagnosis,
Treatment
And
Related Conditions
By
Dr Kenneth Kee
M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)
Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)
Copyright Kenneth Kee 2017 Smashwords Edition
Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com
Dedication
This book is dedicated
To my wife Dorothy
And my children
Carolyn, Grace
And Kelvin
This book describes Heart Arrhythmias, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.
(What The patient Need to Treat Heart Arrhythmias)
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If the patient would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.
If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Introduction
I have been writing medical articles for my blog http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.
My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.
Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).
I then wrote an autobiolographical account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.
This autobiolographical account A Family Doctor’s Tale
was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders
into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale
on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.
From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 amazon kindle books and 200 into Smashwords.com eBooks.
Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.
For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.
The later books go into more details of medical disorders.
The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.
Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.
As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.
Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.
I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.
I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.
I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.
Chapter 1
Heart Arrhythmias
What is an arrhythmia (heart rhythm disorder)?
Arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythm and heart beat.
There are many types of arrhythmias.
They are categorized by some doctors by where they start in the heart (the atria, AV node, or the ventricles).
An arrhythmia is a disorder with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.
When an arrhythmia occurs, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.
Tachycardia is a heartbeat that is too fast.
Bradycardia is a heartbeat that is too slow.
Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can be serious or even life threatening.
Pathophysiology
During an arrhythmia, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body.
Inadequate blood flow can injure the brain, heart, and other organs.
The heart's electrical system is the regulator of the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat.
With each heartbeat, an electrical signal extends from the top of the heart to the bottom.
As the signal spreads, it causes the heart to contract and pump blood.
Each electrical signal begins in a collection of cells called the sinus node or sinoatrial (SA) node sited in the heart's upper right chamber, the right atrium.
In a healthy adult heart at rest, the SA node triggers off an electrical signal to begin a new heartbeat 60 to 100 times a minute.
From the SA node, the electrical signal spreads through special pathways in the right and left atria.
This induces the atria to contract and pump blood into the heart's two lower chambers, the ventricles.
The electrical signal then travels down to a collection of cells called the atrioventricular (AV) node, sited between the atria and the ventricles.
Here, the signal slows down just a little, permitting the ventricles time to finish filling with blood.
The electrical signal then exits the AV node and moves along a pathway called the bundle of His.
This pathway divides into a right bundle branch and a left bundle branch.
The signal moves down these branches to the ventricles, inducing them to contract and pump blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.
The ventricles then relax, and the heartbeat process begins all over again in the SA node.
Any disorder with any part of this process can produce an arrhythmia.
In atrial fibrillation, a frequent form of arrhythmia, electrical signals move through the atria in a fast and disorganized way.
This induces the atria to quiver instead of contract.
The four main types of arrhythmia are:
1. Premature beats,
2. Supra-ventricular,
3. Ventricular, and
4. Brady-arrhythmias.
Premature (Extra) Beats
Premature beats are the most frequent type of arrhythmia.
They are not harmful most of the time and often do not produce any symptoms.
When symptoms do happen, they normally feel like the fluttering in the chest or a feeling of a skipped heartbeat.
Most of the time, premature beats do not require treatment, particularly in healthy people.
Premature beats that happen in the atria (the heart's upper chambers) are called premature atrial contractions, or PACs.
Premature beats that happen in the ventricles (the heart's lower chambers) are called premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs.
In most patients, premature beats occur naturally.
Some heart diseases can cause premature beats.
They also can occur because of too much exercise, stress, or too much caffeine or nicotine.
Supra-ventricular Arrhythmias
Supra-ventricular arrhythmias are tachycardias (fast heart rates) that begin in