Arrhythmia Treatment Options & Prevention Methods

Conditions & Diseases: Cardiovascular System

Arrhythmia

Treatment Options

Treatment options for arrhythmia includes:

1. Medications

Antiarrhythmic medications may be given intravenously in emergency situations and orally in long term situations. Some of them include: Amiodarone, Bepridil Hydrochloride, Disopyramide, Dofetilide, Flecainide, Ibutilide, Lidocaine, Procainamide, Propafenone, Propranolol, Quinidine, Sotalol and Tocainide.

Calcium Channel blockers or Calcium antagonists: These are used to treat hypertension, angina and some arrhythmias. Calcium antagonists include Amlodipine, Diltiazem, Felodipine, Isradipine, Nicardipine, Nifedipine, Nimodipine, Nisoldipine and Verapamil.

Beta-blockers: These reduce the heart rate and cardiac output by lowering the blood pressure by blocking adrenalin. Some examples of beta-blockers are: Acebutolol, Atenolol, Betaxolol, Bisoprolol/hydrochlorothiazide, Carteolol, Esmolol, Metoprolol, Nadolol, Penbutolol, Pindolol, Propranolol and Timolol.

Anticoagulants or blood thinners: They help avoid blood from clotting and prevent the existing clots from getting larger. Common anticoagulants prescribed are Heparin and Warfarin. (11).

2. Ablative techniques:

Radiofrequency Ablation: In this technique, a catheter with an electrode at its tip is guided to the damaged portion of heart muscle and mild, painless radiofrequency energy is transmitted to the site of the pathway killing a few cells (about 1/5 of an inch). Consequently, these cells stop conducting the extra impulses that caused the rapid heartbeats. This non-surgical procedure is used to treat patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia and Supraventricular tachycardia.

Transcatheter technique: In this technique, a catheter with an electrode is inserted through an artery/vein and electrocauterization is performed at a targeted spot in the heart. This technique is generally used to treat Supraventricular tachycardia (12).

3. Cryoablation: In this technique, the defective cells are detected with the help of computerized mapping techniques and destroyed with a cold probe. (3)

4. Defibrillation: In this process, an automated external defibrillator (AED) is used to reestablish normal rhythmic contractions in an affected heart. (13)

5. Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD): An ICD provides automatic electrical therapy on a chronic basis for patients suffering from recurrent tachycardias. The device is connected to leads positioned inside or on the surface of the heart. These leads sense cardiac rhythm, provide necessary electrical shocks when necessary, and at times - pace the heart as needed. Various leads are connected to a pulse generator implanted in a pouch beneath the skin of the chest or abdomen. Newer devices are smaller with simpler lead systems and can be installed through blood vessels. (14)

6. Maze surgery: In this surgery, a number of incisions are made in the atria to block the erratic electrical impulses that cause atrial fibrillation. (3)

7. In ventricular resection, a part of the heart’s muscle is removed where the arrhythmia originates. (3)

Prevention Methods

Arrhythmias can be prevented by:

Eating heart healthy foods
Increasing physical activity
Avoid or quitting tobacco smoking
Avoid caffeine and alcohol
Avoid stimulant medications such as over the counter medications for treating cold and nasal congestions. (15)

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com

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Page Last Modified:
01/06/2011