Arrhythmia is any change in the normal rhythm of your heart. In most cases it’s harmless, but sometimes it can be dangerous – and left unchecked, end in heart failure or stroke. Early detection and treatment are key, says Professor Pamela Naidoo, CEO for the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa.
A normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats a minute, but everyone’s differs a bit, notes the Arrhythmia Alliance South Africa (AASA). Your rate speeds up naturally when you exercise, get stressed, take certain medications or stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine, or use recreational drugs such as cocaine. And it slows down when you sleep or are deeply relaxed.
How to establish your resting heart rate
For this reason, you need to establish your resting heart rate first thing in the morning or just before going to sleep at night. To read your pulse, remove your watch and place it where you can see it. Hold out one hand, palm up, elbow slightly bend. Using your other hand, place your index and middle fingers on your wrist at the base of your thumb – move your fingers a little until you can detect your pulse. Press firmly to measure it for 30 seconds, then times the beats by two to get your heart rate in beats per minute.
How to interpret your resting heart rate
A fast rate (more than 100 beats a minute) signals tachycardia; a slow rate (less than 60 beats) signals bradycardia. These are both forms of arrhythmia – if you detect either and you feel unwell, see a medical professional, says the AASA. And if you have a persistent heart rate of above 120 beats a minute or below 40 a minute, have a check-up even if you feel OK.
Arrhythmia may have no symptoms, but if you experience any of the following, get medical help straight away, especially if your heart is racing or slow:
- Heart palpitations
- A sensation of fluttering in your chest
- A sensation of having skipped a heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Extreme fatigue
- Chest pain
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, confusion
- Sweating
- Fainting or near fainting
What causes arrhythmia?
Causes of arrhythmia may be structural (a heart defect you were born with or acquired through heart muscle disease), circulatory (caused by high blood pressure or coronary heart disease), or electrical (the result of problems with your body’s electrical system that regulates heartbeat).
How do you treat arrhythmia?
Treatment will depend on the cause of your arrhythmia. It can range all the way from the application of external defibrillators in an emergency situation, to medication (to treat high blood pressure, coronary heart disease or clotting), open-heart surgery, or the implanting of a pacemaker if your heart rhythm is too slow, or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) to monitor your heart and provide electrical pulses to slow it down if it starts going too fast, says the AASA. These procedures are mostly performed only in specialised cardiac units.
Prevention is best – and although you can’t reverse arrhythmia caused by something like a congenital heart condition, you can improve your chances even if you have that.
Eat a heart-healthy diet, high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, with limited high fat foods such as red meat, cheese and processed goods, and limited salt.
Keep to a healthy weight, get regular exercise, don’t smoke, avoid or limit alcohol and caffeine, and steer clear of chemical stimulants.
For more information on arrhythmia, contact the Heart Foundation and Stroke Foundation of SA, or the Arrhythmia Alliance South Africa.
Also read: Top heart health advice from the experts
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