Tachycardia - Ambhos

 TACHYCARDIA

 

Tachycardia refers to a fast heart rate of over 100 beats per minute. Tachycardia occurs in both ventricles and atria. In the condition of tachycardia, the heart is not able to pump oxygen-rich blood to other parts of the body efficiently. Sometimes tachycardia does not show any symptoms but if not treated properly can cause complications like heart failure, stroke, and cardiac arrest which may even cause death. 

Types of tachycardia 

Tachycardia is classified according to the cause of abnormality in heart rate and the part of the heart responsible for it. 

1.Atrial fibrillation- Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of tachycardia. It is defined as the rapid increase in the upper chambers of the heart (atria). It is caused by irregular electrical impulses in the atria. As a result of which uncoordinated and weak contractions occur in the atria. 

2.Atrial flutter- In this type of tachycardia atria beats rapidly but at a constant rate. This beating at a rapid rate causes weak contractions in the atria. It is caused due to irregular circuitry. Sometimes atrial flutter requires treatment and sometimes it goes away on its own. 

3.Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)- It is the fast beating of the heart slightly above the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). This tachycardia is caused by abnormal circuitry in the heart usually present at birth and creates a loop of overlapping signals. 

4.Ventricular tachycardia- This tachycardia is defined as the rapid heart rate in the ventricles caused by abnormal electrical signals. The ventricles are not able to contract properly and pump a sufficient amount of blood to the body. The episodes of ventricular tachycardia may be harmless lasting only for few seconds and can be life-threatening if lasts for more than a few seconds.

5.Ventricular fibrillation- It occurs when rapid electrical impulses cause the ventricles to quiver instead of pumping blood. Ventricular fibrillation may even cause death if the heart is not restored to the normal heart rate. This tachycardia generally occurs during or after a heart attack.

Symptoms of Tachycardia 

During tachycardia blood is not pumped properly to the body due to which tissues and organs lack oxygen and can show the following symptoms:

1.Fast heart rate

2.Shortness of breath

3.Chest pain 

4.Lightheadedness

5.Fainting 

6.Dizziness 

7.Weakness 

Sometimes a person’s body does not show any symptom, in that case, it is identified by a heart-monitoring test called an electrocardiogram.

 

Causes of tachycardia 

Tachycardia is commonly caused by activities that affect the working of the heart’s pumping action. Things that can cause tachycardia are: 

1.High or low blood pressure 

2.Overactive thyroid

3.Excessive consumption of alcohol

4.Anemia

5.Smoking 

6.Intake of a large amount of caffeine 

7.Fever 

8.Exercise

9.Side effects of any medication

10.Stress

11.Unbalanced amount of electrolytes in the body

Prevention of tachycardia 

1.Maintain your blood pressure- It is necessary to maintain proper blood pressure. If you have a problem of high or low blood pressure then take proper medications prescribed by the doctor. Heart rate is greatly affected by blood pressure and if it is not maintained then it can cause tachycardia.

2.Take a healthy diet- Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Keep a check that there is less amount of fat in the diet. A large amount of fat and cholesterol in the body can affect heart rate. Live a healthy lifestyle, do regular exercise and take a low-fat diet which includes fruits and vegetables. 

3.Stop smoking- It is well known that smoking is injurious to health. So if you smoke and are not able to quit it consult your doctor about the strategies to leave smoking. 

4.Do not take stress- Stress is harmful to the body in all ways. So try not to take unnecessary stress, do not overthink, keep your mind calm. Perform meditation and learn other techniques for coping with stress. 

5.Scheduled checkups- If you have any heart disease then go for a scheduled checkup with the doctor. This will help you to keep a regular check on your heart rate. 

6.Maintain a healthy weight- Being overweight can cause severe heart diseases. It puts you at a high risk of tachycardia. So maintaining a healthy weight is of utmost importance.