Heart Rhythm Disorders: Signs, Causes, and When to Seek Help

If your heart has ever raced, fluttered, or skipped a beat, it may be an arrhythmia, which is an abnormal heartbeat. Symptoms like palpitations, lightheadedness, or a tense feeling in the chest arise when the electrical signals that regulate your heartbeat are interfered with.

Risk elements:

One in five cases of arrhythmia, also known as atrial fibrillation (AFib), is caused by excessive blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The risk of arrhythmia rises with age. Obesity, diabetes, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, hyperthyroidism, chronic renal disease, frequent drinking, smoking, and left ventricular enlargement are additional risk factors.

Five indicators that your heart rhythm may require attention:

Fluttering or pounding heartbeat: Even when you’re not moving, you could feel as though your heart is racing, flipping, or skipping beats.

Feeling faint or dizzy: Blood flow can be impacted by an irregular heartbeat, which can make you feel faint or dizzy.

Breathlessness: You may have unexpected dyspnea when performing basic tasks or even while you’re sleeping.

Constant fatigue: If your heart isn’t pumping correctly, you may feel more exhausted than normal.