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Arrhythmia
See Also:
Arrhythmia:
Introduction & Overview
Arrhythmia: Types
Arrhythmia:
Causes & Risk Factors
Arrhythmia: Signs
& Symptoms
Arrhythmia:
Medical Tests & Diagnosis Methods
Arrhythmia:
Treatment & Prevention Options
Treatment Options
Treatment options are as follows:
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 had
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 and at times pace the
heart as per the requirement. Various leads are connected
to 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 wherein 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).
See Also:
Arrhythmia:
Introduction & Overview
Arrhythmia: Types
Arrhythmia:
Causes & Risk Factors
Arrhythmia: Signs
& Symptoms
Arrhythmia:
Medical Tests & Diagnosis Methods
Arrhythmia:
Treatment & Prevention Options
Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com
Sources
- Heart Disease: Abnormal Heart
Rhythm, MedicineNet.com, December 2007
- Arrhythmia, iVillage
Total Health
- Arrhythmia, Texas
Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal
Hospital, July 2007
- Arrhythmia, National
Heart Blood and Lung Institute, US Department of
Health & Human Services, National Institutes
of Health
- What are Arrhythmias,
American Heart Association, September 2007
- Arrhythmia, British
Heart Foundation, BUPA, July 2006
- Arrhythmias Originating in the
Atria, American Heart Association,
September 2007
- Arrhythmias Originating in the
Ventricles, American Heart Association,
September 2007
- Arrhythmia,
Mama’s Health.com
- Diagnosing Arrhythmias,
American Heart Association, September 2007
- Arrhythmia Medications,
American Heart Association, September 2007
- Ablative Techniques,
American Heart Association, September 2007
- Defibrillation,
American Heart Association, September 2007
- Implantable Devices,
American Heart Association, September 2007
- Heart Arrhythmias,
Mayoclinic.com, February 2007.
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