Alireza Nazeri

A normal heart beats regularly. Irregular heartbeats are a sign of abnormal heart rhythm also called arrhythmias. The most common arrhythmias are atrial fibrillation or Afib. During the Afib the heart beats fast and irregularly. People with high blood pressure are at higher risk of having Afib,

The normal heart rate is between 60-90 beats per minute. Bradycardia is when the heart beats less than 60 times per minute. Some people have low heart rates and can live a normal life with no symptoms. We usually treat bradycardia if it causes symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, low blood pressure, or fainting. Some medications or thyroid problems could cause bradycardia. We treat bradycardia with a pacemaker if we could not treat what caused it.

The electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is usually done at the physician's office, also called resting ECG. It is a noninvasive test used to record the electrical activity of the heart, which can help physicians diagnose heart disorders. Normally, you don’t need to follow any special instructions to prepare for an EKG. You will have 10 electrodes placed on your chest. You will be asked to stay as still as possible while the test is done since movements can affect the results. The test only takes a few minutes to do.

Arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms could be treated with medications or a procedure called catheter ablation. The treatment depends on the type and cause of the arrhythmias. For instance, thyroid disease can cause arrhythmias and can be treated by correcting thyroid function.

Cardiac electrophysiologist (EP doctor) is a cardiologist who is specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of the heart rhythm abnormalities (arrhythmias). The EP doctor will use the resting EKG, wearable and implantable heart monitors, invasive testing to diagnose the arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, PVC and SVTs. He or she would then recommend the specific treatment plan based on the type of the arrhythmia. The treatment can be one or a combination of medication, pacemaker, implantable defibrillator or catheter ablation.

There are different heart arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). For instance, atrial fibrillation (Afib), the most common arrhythmia in adults, can be treated with specific medications or a procedure called catheter ablation. To diagnose and monitor the arrhythmias like Afib, we can use wearable heart monitors (Holter or cardiac telemetry monitors), or use a tiny sensor that is placed under the skin on the chest wall (Implantable Loop Recorder). We also can monitor the patient's heart rhythm and symptoms by using the consumer EKG devices such as Apple watch. Omron or Kardia (AliveCore).

PVCs are abnormal extra heart beats coming from heart lower chambers (ventricles). High number of PVCs can cause heart failure. PVCs could be treated using medications or a procedure called catheter ablation.

Tachycardia refers to a fast heart rate. Tachycardia can be due to a normal or abnormal heart rhythm going fast. Your cardiologist can differentiate these by using EKG or heart monitors. The treatment depends on the type of tachycardia.