What is it?
Heart arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats. Normally you don’t feel your heartbeat, so if you notice your heart is beating too fast or slow, this may be concerning. Some heart arrhythmias are serious, while others are not.
What are the symptoms?
Many people with heart arrhythmias have no symptoms at all. But you might feel:
- Like your heart is skipping a beat.
- Like your heart is beating too hard or fast, which is known as having palpitations.
- A racing heartbeat.
- A slow heartbeat.
- An irregular heartbeat.
If you think you might have an arrhythmia, see your doctor. You should call triple zero (000) for an ambulance if you feel your heart is beating in an unusual way and you:
- Feel dizzy or lightheaded.
- Faint.
- Feel short of breath.
- Have pain in your chest.
What to expect?
If you are diagnosed with an arrhythmia you can consider discussing the following subjects with your doctor after the initial treatment:
- Do you need a stricter control of other medical conditions you may have, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol?
- A healthy diet and an active lifestyle can help in keeping your heart healthy. Which changes can you make in your life style?
- Also quitting smoking is very important in keeping your heart healthy. Are you open to stop smoking? Is your doctor able to support you with this?