ABC Medical Center > Tachycardia

What is Tachycardia?

21:56 - 4 May , 2021

Disease

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.

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.

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