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A Hop, Skip, and a Jump: Do You Have an Irregular Heartbeat?
From time to time, your heart
may "flutter" when you’re excited,
nervous, exercising hard, or
even doing nothing at all. And if your
heart’s offbeat beat — also called an
arrhythmia — goes away as quickly as
it came about, it might seem like no
cause for concern. But it’s important
to know when that fleeting flutter
may be putting your health at risk.
An Electrical Problem With Many Possible Causes
In order to have a healthy, regular heartbeat
— about 60 to 100 beats a minute
— the heart’s four chambers must work
in harmony with one another. Daniel
Goldman, M.D., a board certified
cardiologist and electrophysiologist at
Jersey Shore University Medical Center,
explains, "A heartbeat is produced when
an electrical signal travels through these
chambers. If something goes wrong with
this signal, your heartbeat may speed up,
slow down, or seem out of sync."
While an arrhythmia can strike
anyone at any age, the condition is
particularly common among older
adults. The cause is often unclear.
Dr. Goldman points out that arrhythmia
can sometimes result from:
- heart disease
- stress
- caffeine
- tobacco
- alcohol
- cough and cold medicines
When Arrhythmias Spell Danger
An irregular heartbeat is often harmless
and needs no treatment. Dr. Goldman
stresses, however, "Arrhythmia can
signal a larger problem that can be too
dangerous to ignore. An arrhythmia
that happens on a regular basis, for
instance, will need a doctor’s attention."
Don’t wait to get help if you find that
your irregular heartbeat occurs with any
of the following:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Passing out
- Light-headedness
- Fatigue
"It’s also important to talk to your
doctor if you have a history of heart
disease and have noticed that you sometimes
have an irregular heartbeat."
Ways to Treat the Beat
Dr. Goldman concludes, "Treatments
aimed at correcting an irregular heartbeat
depend on the type of arrhythmia,
and on any other underlying conditions
you may have, but a few tips that can
help you manage your condition include:
- Finding ways to reduce emotional stress.
- Avoiding excessive amounts of salt, caffeine, and alcohol.
- Talking to your doctor about strategies for keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol at healthy levels.
Stay heart-healthy by losing excess
weight, managing stress, getting enough
exercise, and eating a low-fat diet.
And don’t forget to visit your doctor
for regular checkups. Jersey Shore
University Medical Center offers a comprehensive
electrophysiology program,
and is the only center in Monmouth and
Ocean counties with the experience and
capabilities for specialized areas, such
as implantable defibrillators, comprehensive
electrophysiology studies, and
catheter ablation.
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