If you’ve experienced an irregular heartbeat in West Palm Beach, FL, you may be wondering if it’s cause for alarm. Certain cases can be nothing to worry about, while others can be fatal. It’s important to understand the specific nature of your arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) because this can determine the type of intervention required.
Symptoms of Irregular Heartbeat
In certain cases, an irregular heartbeat can be silent, meaning it has no symptoms. In these instances, the condition may be discovered during medical testing for other health conditions.
When symptoms are present, they can include nausea, heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, fatigue, and dizziness. Other symptoms include fainting, shortness of breath, anxiety, sweating, and lightheadedness.
More serious symptoms can include cardiac arrest, heart failure, and stroke due to damage caused to the heart. Damage to the brain and other organs may also occur. These symptoms are the result of not pumping a safe amount of blood to these organs.
Should I Be Worried About an Irregular Heartbeat?
In cases where a person’s heart skips a beat for a few seconds at the longest, this is typically nothing to worry about. This can be caused by simply drinking a lot of coffee or feeling anxious about something.
People who have a diagnosed heart problem should always contact their concierge cardiologist regarding an irregular heartbeat. When arrhythmia symptoms last longer than a few seconds, this can also be cause for evaluation.
Patients with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), bradycardia, or tachycardia should visit their concierge cardiologist regularly.
PVCs are early heartbeats that begin at the lower chambers of the heart. Bradycardia is when the heart beats more slowly than normal, while tachycardia is characterized by a faster-than-normal heartbeat. These conditions may not need treatment, depending on their severity and other factors, and lifestyle changes may be recommended.
Irregular heartbeats that are cause for much greater alarm include ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VFib), and atrial fibrillation (AFib).
VT, a rapid heartbeat that starts in the heart’s lower chambers, makes it so the heart cannot send enough blood to the body.
VFib is a quick, irregular heartbeat in the lower chambers that prevents blood being sent to the body. It can result in cardiac arrest and sudden death.
AFib is a rapid and uncoordinated irregular heartbeat that decreases the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. AFib creates a higher risk of stroke, and it becomes progressively more difficult to treat.
Set Up Your Consultation
Contact The Palm Beach Clinic to find out whether your irregular heartbeat is cause for alarm—meet with Dr. Chauncey Crandall for a diagnosis in West Palm Beach, FL. He will perform a physical examination and ask questions about your medical history. He can also perform tests like an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram, an exercise stress test, and various blood tests.
Dr. Crandall’s concierge cardiology patients receive comprehensive care for a variety of heart conditions. Please set up a consultation at your earliest convenience.