Is Your Heart Beating Too Fast?

The most important part of the body that keeps us going is the heart. This muscular, blood pumping organ is our lifeline that we must keep healthy whether its by exercise or diet. Many Americans suffer from are Cardiovascular issues. In order to decrease the risk of these chronic diseases, Americans should be educated on how to maintain a healthy heart and recognize warning signs of a potential problem.

Many people suffer from arrhythmias throughout their lifetime, which can be a very frightening experience. In the United States more than 850,000 people are hospitalized for an arrhythmia each year. Supraventricular Tachycardia is one type of arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rate, that starts in the upper chambers of the heart or also known as the atria. Supraventricular Tachycardia or also known as SVT causes symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, fainting spells, and shortness of breath. In some cases people who suffer from SVT have no symptoms.

In order to diagnose SVT there are many different ways to examine an arrhythmia. The most evident way to check a heart rate is through a pulse, which tells how fast the heart is beating and whether or not the heart rate is at a normal pace. A normal heart rate beats at about 60 to 100 beats per minute. Another option to diagnose an arrhythmia is by an electrocardiogram or ECG. This is a test that records the electrical impulses of the heart into delta waves to see the rhythm of the heart. Holter monitoring may also be used, which is a continuous recording of an ECG. This is useful to detect the arrhythmias while going about normal activity usually worn during a 24-hour period.

An EP Study may also be done which is an invasive procedure to assess the hearts electrical system by special electrode catheters. This procedure helps doctors get more detailed information and detect the exact location of an abnormal pathway in the heart that is causing the rapid heartbeats to occur. This technique is also called "mapping". During this procedure the doctor may do a catheter ablation using radio frequency energy to destroy parts of the abnormal electrical pathways to treat the problem. This procedure is very effective and may permanently cure some types of tachycardia.

Another treatment option is an Implantable Cardioverter Defibulator that requires placing a small electronic device inside the body to be monitored at all times. When this device detects a dangerous heart rhythm, an electrical shock is delivered to restore a normal heart rate. Other ways, such as antiarrythmic drugs can be used to restore a normal heart rate in some cases of tachycardia. People who suffer from different arrhythmia can look forward to leading healthy and active lifestyles after treatment.