Arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. The heart may beat too fast ( tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), too early ( pre-mature contraction), or too irregular (atrial fibrillation). Arrhythmia is a heart rhythm problem that occurs when the electrical impulses of the heart are not working properly that will result in beating the heart too fast, too slow, too early, or inconsistently. When the heart rate is irregular, too fast, too slow, or too early, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body that can cause troublesome and fatal symptoms.
We all experience irregular heartbeats, occasionally. Some patients may have no symptoms at all but has a life-threatening arrythmia. On the other hand, if patients notices symptoms, it does not necessarily mean that there is a serious problem. Common symptoms of tachycardia include breathlessness, light headedness, sudden weakness, dizziness, fluttering in the chest and fainting. On bradycardia, symptoms are chest pain, confusion, dizziness, tiredness, palpitations, shortness of breath and fainting. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation that often develop rapidly are chest pain, breathlessness, dizziness, palpitations, weakness and fainting.
Most arrythmia are harmless but some can be serious or even life-threatening.