Cardiac Arrhythmia

More than 15 million people in Germany are affected by cardiac arrhythmias at some point. These “rhythm disturbances” of the organ are generally asymptomatic and rarely cause complaints. However, they can be signs of serious conditions or may precede them. Timely diagnosis and treatment of this anomaly is therefore essential for your health.

Our doctors at Avi Medical are on hand at all our locations to support you with all medical measures in the management of cardiac arrhythmias.

Cardiac arrhythmias are always diagnosed by means of an ECG. Bradycardia is present when the organ beats fewer than sixty times per minute. This form of anomaly is divided into the following subtypes:

• Sinus bradycardia (rate regular but too slow)
• Bradycardic atrial fibrillation (irregular contraction of the atria)
• Disturbance of the electrical conduction system of the heart (affecting the sinus node, the “pacemaker” of the organ, whose impulse is not properly transmitted to the ventricles and muscle)

Tachycardia is diagnosed from a rate of one hundred beats per minute and is further divided into the following subtypes:

• Sinus tachycardias
• Extrasystoles (isolated additional beats within an otherwise regular but rapid rhythm)
• Paroxysmal tachycardias (sudden, usually brief episodes of rapid heartbeat lasting only a few minutes)
• Ventricular fibrillation and flutter (irregular contractions of the ventricles)

The triggers of cardiac arrhythmias are varied, as the condition can originate both from the heart itself and from another structure. Possible triggers for cardiac arrhythmias originating from the heart include:

• Atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries
• Heart failure
• Myocarditis
• Congenital heart defects

Possible triggers for arrhythmias originating from another structure are:

• Electrolyte imbalances
• Psychological factors
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Poisoning (alcohol, drugs, and also medications)
• Pulmonary diseases
• Electric shocks
• Vascular diseases

Cardiac arrhythmias are generally asymptomatic. However, possible accompanying and secondary manifestations include:

• A sensation of the heart “fluttering” or “racing”
• Breathlessness
• Dizziness and “blacking out”, up to and including loss of consciousness
• Tightness and stabbing pain in the chest
• Memory disturbances
• Stroke

Successful treatment of cardiac arrhythmias consists of a combination of diagnostics and therapy. Our experienced doctors will guide you through this process.

Diagnostic measures include:

• Taking a medical history
• Resting, 24-hour, and exercise ECGs
• Sonography

Diagnostic measures carried out in hospital and by specialists include:

• Chest X-ray
• Electrophysiological studies (interventional ECG via cardiac catheter)

Therapeutic measures offered by avi include:

• Pharmacological management of electrolyte balance and thyroid hormones
• Pharmacological therapy using specific anti-arrhythmic medications (so-called antiarrhythmics)

Additional therapeutic measures carried out in hospital and by specialists include:

• Surgical methods (such as ablation of accessory conduction pathways or implantation of a pacemaker)