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- What is arrhythmia?
- Symptoms of arrhythmia
- Causes of arrhythmia
- Prevention of arrhythmia
- Risk factors for arrhythmia
- Complications of arrhythmia
- When to see a doctor about arrhythmia
- Diagnosis of arrhythmia
- Conventional treatment of arrhythmia
- Alternative/complementary treatment of arrhythmia
- Living with arrhythmia
- Caring for someone with arrhythmia
Arrhythmia can cause a some serious and life threatening complications:
- Heart failure - the risk of heart failure significantly increases with some types of arrhythmia (long QT syndrome, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia) and is associated with the other serious arrhythmias. Heart failure can happen if the heart is beating ineffectively for a long period due to an arrhythmia and finally the heart is unable to function and heart failure ensues, which can be fatal if there is no immediate medical attention
- Stoke - the risk of stroke is quite common in some types of arrhythmia more than in others and especially in atrial fibrillation. When the heart is unable to pump blood through the arteries properly, this can cause the blood to pool in the arteries, which may increase the risk of blood clots to form. If a blood clot breaks away, it can travel to one of the arteries in the neck which supply the heart and cause stroke. A stroke may damage some or all of the brain and can even cause death
Certain arrhythmias need really urgent medical attention to prevent a fatal outcome:
- Long QT syndrome - this is the most common cause of sudden death in younger people, who are seemingly healthy
- Ventricular fibrillation - a type of fibrillation that can be fatal without immediate and urgent medical attention (defibrillation)
- Ventricular tachycardia - most common cause of heart failure and needs immediate and urgent medical attention to prevent death
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< 5: risk factors 7: when to see a doctor > Last reviewed: 27 October 2007 || Last updated: 9 January 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
