What is Tachycardia?

It is an abnormality in which a faster-than-normal heart rate, above 100 beats per minute, occurs when you are at rest. The normal rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

The heart is forced to overwork by having to pump more blood faster, so if it is not diagnosed and treated in time, it can cause a stroke, heart failure, or heart attack, which can be fatal.

This alteration is due to a modification in the electrical impulses of the heart, caused by any of the following:

Congenital abnormalities of the heart.
Excessive use of tobacco, coffee, drugs, or alcohol.
Electrolyte imbalance.
Heart or lung disease.
Stress.
Hypertension.
Hyperthyroidism.
Reaction to certain medications.

Sometimes, it is not possible to identify the cause that causes tachycardia, but genetic factors can contribute to its onset.

There are several types of tachycardia, including:

Atrial fibrillation: it is the most frequent and consists of an increase in the electrical activity of the heart, which causes irregular heartbeat.
Supraventricular tachycardias: usually due to congenital heart disease.
Ventricular tachycardias: it causes a poor blood supply.
Atrial flutters: the atrium beats fast, but regularly.
Ventricular fibrillation: it happens during a heart attack or after it. The ventricles move disorderly instead of pumping blood, so if it is not stabilized immediately it will cause death.

Signs and symptoms Tachycardia

Dizziness, lightheadedness, and confusion
Weakness.
Loss of consciousness.
Tightness and pain in the chest.
Difficulty breathing.
Fast or irregular heartbeat.
Rapid pulse.

If you have these symptoms, see your ABC doctor immediately. Tachycardia can lead to serious life-threatening complications.

Prevention:
Modifying habits that lead to a healthy lifestyle:

Avoid being overweight and obese.
Relax and try to eliminate your sources of stress or your response to them.
Have an eating plan in which you avoid fats, sugars, and processed foods, prioritizing fiber and vegetables.
Exercise regularly.
Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and high coffee consumption.
Check your blood pressure.
Do not self-medicate.

Diagnosis and treatment Tachycardia

Once your doctor analyzes your symptoms and your medical history, they will perform a physical examination and an EKG, an echocardiogram, an MRI, or a CT scan to be able to diagnose properly.

Treatment will depend on the cause of your tachycardia, but antidysrhythmic medications will likely be prescribed to restore normal heart rhythm.

However, in certain types of tachycardia, medical procedures may be necessary, such as cardiac ablation, or the implementation of a cardioverter that acts like a defibrillator to restore normal rhythm, or surgery to eliminate the damage caused by the condition.

At the Cardiovascular Center, we offer you a wide range of prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and follow-up services to take care of you through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary care model. Come to us, we want to hear your heart.

Related centers and departments

Fuentes:

fundaciondelcorazon.com
myhealth.ucsd.edu
msdmanuals.com
mayoclinic.org
texasheart.org
medigraphic.org
Iturralde TP, Colín LL, Guevara VM, et al. Experiencia en 1,500 pacientes sometidos a ablación con radiofrecuencia en el tratamiento de las taquicardias. Arch Cardiol Mex. 2000;70(4):349-356.
Gutiérrez LA, Cruz CM, Mengana BA, et al. Arritmias cardíacas en pacientes con la COVID-19. Escenarios y tratamiento. Rev Cubana Cardiol Cir Cardiovasc. 2020;26(3):1-12.
Garnier FJC, Pizarro AG, Orozco GR. Generalidades sobre cardiomiopatía periparto. Revista Médica Sinergia. 2021;6(07):1-10.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is Tachycardia?

Signs and symptoms Tachycardia

Diagnosis and treatment Tachycardia

Related centers and departments

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Tachycardia