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Palpitations and arrhythmias

Articles and links about the heart arrhythmias, and palpitations and other symptoms caused by arrhythmias.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Recalls

A recall of an implantable defibrillator can be a scary experience, but understanding the recall issue itself, and how it applies to you, most often leads you to an effective and safe course of action.

Overview of an Implantable Defibrillator

An implantable defibrillator (ICD) is an implantable device that monitors a person's heart rhythm, and automatically delivers lifesaving treatment if a dangerous heart arrhythmia occurs.

Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating, usually due to a cardiac arrhythmia.

Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD)

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the name given to any death that occurs suddenly and usually without warning, and that is due to a cardiac condition.

How Does Having an Implantable Defibrillator Affect Your Lifestyle?

Several lifestyle considerations, including driving recommendations, need to be taken into account if you are considering an implantable defibrillator (ICD).

Should You Get an Implantable Defibrillator?

If you have an increased risk of sudden death, you should consider an implantable defibrillator known as an ICD.

Long QT Syndrome - Exercise Recommendations

Patients with Long QT syndrome have a higher risk of sudden death during exercise. Here are current exercise recommendations for people with Long QT syndrome.

Catecholamine Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia - Exercise Recommendations

Catecholamine polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, CPVT, is an uncommon cause of sudden death during exercise. Here are some exercise recommendations for patients with CPVT

Brugada Syndrome - Exercise Recommendations

Brugada syndrome can cause sudden death during exercise. Here are current exercise recommendations for individuals with Brugada syndrome.

Myocarditis - Exercise Recommendations

Exercise recommendations for people who have myocarditis.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy - Exercise Recommendations

Exercise recommendations with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, HCM

Exercise Recommendations For Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Exercise recommendations for people with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)

Marfan Syndrome - Exercise Recommendations

Exercise recommendations with Marfan syndrome

Sudden Death in Young Athletes

Sudden death in young athletes, fortunately a rare event, can be due to a host of underlying cardiac conditions.

What Turned Out To Be the Cause of Your Palpitations?

Tell us what turned out to be the cause of your palpitations

Heart Attack vs. Cardiac Arrest

Heart attack is the death of heart muscle due to a blocked coronary artery, while cardiac arrest is a heart arrhythmia that causes the heart to stop beating

The Electrophysiology Study

A description of the electrophysiology study

Bradycardia - Slow Heart Rhythms

Bradycardias, or slow heart rhythm disturbances, can be caused either by disorders of the sinus node, or of the AV conducting system including the AV node, His bundle, and bundle branches.

Tachycardias - Fast Heart Arrhythmias

Tachycardias are fast heart rhythm disturbances. They are categorized as either the supraventricular tachycardias or ventricular tachycardia.

PACs - Premature Atrial Complexes

PACs, or premature atrial complexes, are the most common heart arrhythmias.

Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating, usually as a consequence of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. Unless cardiac circulation is restored within a few minutes with a defibrillator, sudden death ensues.

Diagnosing Cardiac Arrhythmias

Diagnosing cardiac arrhythmias usually requires recording the heart rhythm until symptoms occur. Sometimes an electrophysiology study, or EPS, is helpful.

Medications for Heart Arrhythmias

Heart arrhythmias can be treated with antiarrhythmic drugs, AV nodal blocking drugs, beta blockers, statins, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Ablation Therapy for Cardiac Arrhythmias

Ablation procedures treat abnormal electrical pathways in the heart. These procedures can sometimes eliminate certain heart arrhythmias.

Cardiac Arrhythmias - Heart Rhythm Problems

A review of what you need to know about cardiac arrhythmias, or heart rhythm problems.

The Cardiac Electrical System -- How the Heart Beats

The cardiac electrical system controls the heart rate and coordinates the contraction of cardiac muscle.

Living With Cardiac Arrhythmias

articles on the treatment of heart rhythm disturbances

Drugs that Prolong QT Interval Cause 3-Fold Increase in Risk

Non-cardiac drugs that prolong the QT interval produce a 3-fold increase in sudden death

Why the Court Un-Banned Ephedra

A federal judge overturned the FDA's ban on ephedra - for legal, not medical reasons

Why do I still have SVT?

Why do I still have SVT?

Palpitations

A discussion of palpitations - one of the most common symptoms related to heart problems

Exercise and atrial fibrillation

How exercise can help to prevent atrial fibrillation

IST - Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia

IST - a misunderstood cardiac arrhythmia

PVCs - premature ventricular complexes

One of the most common cardiac arrhythmias - and one of the most difficult to treat

Long QT Syndrome

A review of long QT syndrome - a relatively common and potentially fatal arrhythmia

Amiodarone

The strange life of amiodarone

Anxiety after implantable defibrillators

How to manage anxiety after placement of an ICD
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