Arrhythmias - Treatments - Better Medicine

How are arrhythmias treated?

Treatment for arrhythmias begins with seeking medical care from your health care provider. To determine if you have arrhythmias, your health care provider will conduct several diagnostic tests.

Several classes of medications may be used to prevent an arrhythmia from happening again or to keep your heart rate from becoming too fast or too slow. It is important to follow your treatment plan for arrhythmias precisely and to take all of the medicines as instructed to avoid recurrence or complications.

Medications for treatment of arrhythmias

Medications that can be effective in the treatment of arrhythmias include:

Amiodarone (Cordarone)
Atenolol (Senormin, Tenormin)
Diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia)
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol)
Procainamide (Pronestyl)
Sotalol (Betapace)
Verapamil (Calan, Covera)

Urgent treatment for serious arrhythmias

When arrhythmias are serious, you may need urgent treatment to restore a normal rhythm. This may include:

Cardiac ablation, a procedure used to destroy areas in your heart that may be causing your heart rhythm problems
Electrical shock therapy (defibrillation or cardioversion)
Implantation of a cardiac defibrillator
Implantation of a temporary pacemaker to interrupt the arrhythmia
Medications given through a vein

What are the potential complications of arrhythmias?

You can help minimize your risk of serious complications by following the treatment plan you and your health care professional design specifically for you. Complications of arrhythmias include:

Chest pain or pressure
Congestive heart failure (deterioration of the heart’s ability to pump blood)
Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
Stroke

INTRODUCTION

What are arrhythmias?

Arrhythmias is the medical name for disorders of heart rate (pulse) or heart rhythm, such as beating too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregularly. The disease causes symptoms in the cardiopulmonary system.... Read more about arrhythmias introduction

SYMPTOMS

What are the symptoms of arrhythmias?

Arrhythmias may produce a broad range of symptoms, from barely noticeable to cardiovascular collapse. The symptoms can vary in intensity among individuals.... Read more about arrhythmias symptoms

CAUSES

What causes arrhythmias?

Arrhythmias are caused by problems with the heart’s electrical conduction system. The heart has its own pacemaker that normally sends out the signals to control the heartbeat, but other areas of the heart’s electrical system also have the ability to send out signals. When other areas of the heart start to send signals to beat, the heart rhythm is altered. At other times, electrical signals cannot be transmitted throughout the heart muscles as easily or at all. Different nerve messages may cause your heart to beat too slowly (bradycardia), too quickly (tachycardia), or irregularly.... Read more about arrhythmias causes