In a conversation with socialbites.ca, head of the surgical treatment and pacing division of complex heart rhythm disorders at the National Medical Research Center, it was said that ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation are the most dangerous types of arrhythmias. white. EN Meshalkina, candidate of medical sciences Vitaly Shabanov.
“In cases of ventricular arrhythmia, we can talk about life-threatening situations. For clarification, you need to dive a little into anatomy. Our heart has four chambers, consisting of two atria and two ventricles. The main contributors to blood circulation are the ventricles: they contract and push blood out for further distribution throughout the body. And if ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, which is the deadliest of arrhythmias, occurs, it can lead to cardiac arrest and death at any moment, ”explained the arrhythmia specialist.
According to the expert, any type of arrhythmia should be treated as potentially dangerous.
“If the heart is already beating incorrectly, attention should be paid to it and at least the cause should be investigated. And then, as much as possible, it is therefore necessary to fight and eliminate, because any wrong rhythm wears out the heart and will sooner or later lead to a decrease in pumping function, ”Shabanov added.
However, as soon as they appear, many arrhythmias do not pose any threat to life – it all depends on where the focus of the arrhythmia is located in the heart.
“For example, if it is nodal or atrial tachyarrhythmia: yes, the heart beats at 200 beats per minute, which is uncomfortable, but you can live with it, you can even stop such an attack of arrhythmia on your own by breathing deeply or drinking. cold water. There is also a drug therapy that gives you control over the condition. However, if such a non-life-threatening rhythm disorder significantly reduces the patient’s quality of life, is psychologically tiring, and causes panic on a regular basis, a more radical surgical treatment can be recommended,” emphasized the expert.
Read more about the causes of arrhythmia, how to detect it yourself, and when to need surgery – in report “socialbites.ca”.