Arrhythmias – Causes, Symptoms & Treatments
Has your doctor diagnosed your child with Arrhythmia? Are you looking for information on the irregular heartbeat and other heart disorders? If you nodded along gravely, then it’s probably time you read our post below. Here, we look irregular heartbeat in children and how it can affect the quality of life.
What Is An Arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia is a medical condition about the heart rate (heart beats per minute). The disorder is characterized by either too slow or too fast heartbeat. An extra fast pulse or the heart rate is known as tachycardia, and a too slow pulse is called as bradycardia.
Most often, arrhythmias are not a cause of great health concern. But at times, arrhythmia in children could indicate an underlying heart condition [1].
[ Read: Chest Infection In Children ]
The Heart’s Electrical System:
To better under irregular heartbeat in child, its causes and types, it is important to understand how the heart’s electrical system works and affects the heartbeat.
The steps that create a heartbeat:
- There are two lower heart chambers (ventricles) and two upper heart chambers (atria). The right atrium houses the sinus or sinoatrial node (SA node), which is heart’s natural pacemaker. In the heart, specialized cells known as pacemaker cells produce electricity by altering their status from positive to negative charge. These electrical impulses begin in the SA node and move through the atria. This movement contracts the atria muscles, and the blood pumps into the ventricles [2].
- The electrical impulse then travels to atrioventricular (AV) node, which are cells between the ventricles and the atria.
- The AV node slows the impulses so that blood can fill the ventricles. Once the electrical signal reaches the ventricles, it helps them a contract. This contraction helps ventricles to pump blood to the rest of the body. For adults with a healthy heart (at rest), this process makes the heart beat 60-100 times every minute [3].
Types Of Arrhythmias:
Child Arrhythmias can be of many different types depending on the speed of the heartbeat and their point of origin in the heart.
1. Atrial Fibrillation (AF):
This type of rapid heart rate occurs due to irregular contractions in the atria. The electrical signals reach the AV node in quick succession and cause irregular ventricle rhythms. If AF becomes serious and is left untreated, it can lead to stroke and even heart failure.
2. Atrial Flutter:
It is similar to AF, but the heart beats in atrial flutter are organized.
[ Read: Heart Murmur In Children ]
3. Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT):
PSVT means heartbeats become fast and then slow down immediately. It can occur due to a faulty electrical connection between the ventricles and the atria. There is a type of PSVT known as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW syndrome) that can occur due to the presence of an additional electrical pathway between the ventricles and the atria.
4. Premature Beats:
It is the most common of all arrhythmias. The extra beat may feel like you skipped a heartbeat.
5. Ventricular Tachycardia:
It is a rapid heart rate that inhibits ventricles to pump blood into the body.
6. Ventricular Fibrillation:
A very serious arrhythmia, this condition makes it difficult for ventricles to pump blood into the body. This condition can be fatal and is often caused by a serious heart condition.
7. Long QT Syndrome:
The rapid heart rate often causes fainting spells and can be fatal. This condition can occur due to faulty genes or side effects of medication.
8. Sinus Node Dysfunction:
The SA node doesn’t send proper electrical signals, thereby, causing bradycardia.
9. Heart Block:
Any block in the heart pathways or the AV node can cause bradycardia.
[ Read: Atrial Septal Defect In Children ]
Causes Of Arrhythmia:
Arrhythmia can occur due to several reasons.
- Congenital (present at birth) heart disease
- Heart attack
- Heart damage due to a prior heart attack
- Blocked arteries
- Stress
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Overactive or underactive thyroid glands
- Certain prescription drugs such as pills to treat heart conditions or for depression [4]
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Excessive consumption of caffeine
- Smoking (nicotine use)
- Use of stimulant drugs
- Abnormal or wrong levels of potassium and sodium (electrolytes) in the body [5]
Symptoms Of Arrhythmia In Children:
Symptoms of irregular heartbeat in children may not always be noticeable. However, there are specific signs and symptoms that may indicate an arrhythmia.
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
- Sweating
- Paleness [6]
Children can also suffer from arrhythmia, but they may not be able to tell you the symptoms [7].
Diagnosing Arrthymia:
Your doctor may conduct several types of tests that monitor the heart or identify a specific cardiac condition that may be causing the arrhythmia.
These tests are:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG): electrodes are attached to the chest to measure the heart rhythm.
- Echocardiogram: a handheld machine produces images of the heart through sound waves.
- Holter Monitor: a portable ECG machine that measures the heart rate in the course of a few days during normal activity.
- Event Monitor: a portable ECG machine that records your heart’s electrical activities as you experience the arrhythmia symptoms.
- Stress Test: to check heart rate as you exercise on a treadmill.
- Electrophysiological Testing (EP study): thin tubes with electrodes (catheters) are put into the heart through blood vessels to map the heart’s activities.
- Tilt-Table Test: is for those who experience fainting spells with their arrhythmias. You lie on a table, which is tilted to check your heart’s response at this angle [8].
Treating Arrthymia:
Your child’s pediatrician may recommend treatment for arrhythmia only when the condition is causing significant health problems.
Some treatment options for arrhythmias in children are:
1. Medication:
Your doctor can prescribe you medicines such as beta blockers for tachycardia. These drugs can have side effects and can cause a different type of arrhythmia. There are no medicines for bradycardia.
2. Implantable Devices:
An artificial pacemaker near the collarbone helps to correct abnormal heart rhythms. Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is used for serious cases of arrhythmias.
3. Surgeries:
Surgery is the last possible treatment option for arrhythmias in case other treatments don’t work out for you.
[ Read: Ventricular Septal Defect In Children ]
Preventing Arrhythmia:
To manage and prevent child irregular heartbeat, you may need to make changes to your lifestyle.
- Include more fiber in your diet through whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
- Eat a diet low in sodium and fat
- Exercise regularly
- Quit smoking
- Limit alcohol consumption [9]
You may need to be extra careful to manage your arrhythmia. Observe your (or your child’s) symptoms and always follow-up with a doctor.
How do you keep your heart healthy? Please share some tips with our readers.
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