Arrhythmia is not just an abnormal heart rhythm, as many people think, but a serious pathology that deserves special attention from both patients and cardiologists. The cardiologist, endovascular surgeon at SM-Clinic, told socialbites.ca why arrhythmia is dangerous and why it is important to treat it. Alexander Sidelnikov.
According to the cardiac surgeon, cardiac arrhythmia is a pathological condition associated with a violation of the frequency, rhythm and sequence of contractions of the heart muscle, manifested in the form of a mixed irregular rhythm (the heart beats too quickly or vice versa). if it is too slow, there may be one-off interruptions in the rhythm – extrasystole).
“Arrhythmia can manifest itself with different symptoms. The first and obvious signs of pathology, which can be noticed not only by a doctor, but also by an ordinary person, are irregular heart rhythm (too fast or, conversely, slow), there is also an alternation of these states. In addition, arrhythmias are accompanied by a feeling of weakness, shortness of breath and decreased performance. “People who are busy with mental work may notice a decrease in memory,” Sidelnikov said.
In his opinion, the most dangerous symptom of arrhythmia is fainting associated with disruption of blood flow to the brain due to pauses in heart rate or a very rare pulse. Sometimes fainting occurs due to rapid heartbeat.
“In my medical experience, arrhythmias can complicate the course of other diseases, even quite serious ones: coronary heart disease, congenital or acquired heart defects, inflammatory and infiltrative heart diseases, damage to the thyroid gland and some genetic mutations. Atrial fibrillation, left atrial appendage “It can cause blood clots to form, which, if not prevented, can lead to stroke in 7% of cases. In addition, arrhythmia can be both the cause and the consequence of heart failure,” said Sidelnikov.
The doctor also added that underestimating the situation regarding arrhythmia is extremely dangerous for the health of the sick person and can lead to serious complications. Which treatment to choose for the patient (drug therapy, surgical treatment – radiofrequency ablation or pacemaker implantation) can only be decided by a cardiologist, taking into account the full picture of the disease.
“Today, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons have in their arsenal unique technologies that are successfully used in the treatment of various types of arrhythmias in many patients, including the elderly aged 70-80 years. For example, implanting a pacemaker. This modern, small-sized device is implanted in the subclavian region of the patient and not only monitors abnormalities in the heart but also restores normal heart rate,” said the doctor.
According to him, in some cases, a pacemaker literally helps save the life of an elderly person who is experiencing a rare arrhythmia and fainting.
“To the question that interests many: Is it possible to do sports with a pacemaker, the answer is yes, it is possible, but it is best to choose moderate physical activity such as walking, swimming, light gymnastics or skiing. However, contact and extreme sports are prohibited,” the cardiac surgeon emphasized.
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