Why Persons Must Learn To Interpret Dysrhythmias

By Estelle Larsen


The heart is an important part of the human body. This organ pumps blood which humans need to survive. Because it pumps blood, a certain person may feel that it beats in a rhythm, especially if he places his hand over the area where it is located. However, there are certain cases where it beats faster or slower than what is considered normal for humans.

Faster heartbeats are usually caused by feeling different kinds of emotions, such as being excited, afraid, or nervous. On the contrary, slower rates are usually caused by imbalance of electrolytes and issues in metabolism. These movements, referred to as dysrhythmias, could be considered fatal to those experiencing them. Persons must learn to interpret dysrhythmias for this matter.

Before anything else, persons may be confused on what dysrhythmia is. It is a condition where heartbeats are irregular, either faster or slower than what is considered normal for humans. The faster rates are called tachycardia. The slower ones are called bradycardia. Some of them are usually felt combined with emotions yet, some of them would certainly be life threatening.

These conditions occur to humans because of several reasons. There are two classifications for this, external forces or internal ones. Being stressed emotionally, smoking, feeling exhausted, consuming alcohol and stimulants such as caffeine and cocaine are some of the external factors. Congenital heart diseases, organ defects already present at birth, thyroid issues, and inflammatory diseases are the most common internal factors.

If the activities inside the human body are being checked, there are several cases when these conditions will occur. Sometimes, it will happen if a part of the heart, especially its natural pacemaker, is defective. It can also happen if the pathway to the ventricles and nodes is interrupted or something is blocking the way.

There are different types of these movements. Each type have an equivalent of certain beats per minute. Aside from tachycardia and bradycardia, they can also include sick sinus syndrome, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and premature ventricular contractions.

The conditions can be determined by people through the presence of various symptoms. Shortness of breath, fainting, palpitations, lightheadedness, dizziness, and fatigue could be included in the symptoms. However, there are instances where symptoms are not present. For this, gadgets will have to be used by professionals, like the ECG monitors, for the heartbeats to be tracked in one whole day. This way, irregular contractions can be checked.

Treatments are actually available for patients who are experiencing these states. Professionals can give medications to the patients. They may also administer small amounts of electric shocks in extreme cases, such as defibrillators. Pacemakers are also available and these devices will be implanted inside the bodies of the individuals experiencing certain conditions.

Lives can be saved when individuals keep these things in their minds which is primarily the reason of its importance. The worst case scenario is that people could die because of them. Being left all too suddenly is definitely not something that individuals would like from their loved ones.




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