“What is the treatment for heartbeat irregularities?”
I am a 34 year old woman and I underwent a heart surgery as a child since I was born with a hole in the heart. I have been living a normal life ever since my surgery. However, off late I am noticing that my heart beat turns very fast. I did an ECG which also showed irregularities in my heartbeat. What is the next course of treatment for this?
5 Answers
You need to find what you heart is doing at the time you feel it beating too fast. If it happens every day a 24-hour heart monitor will identify the arrhythmia. If it is less frequent or unpredictable, an AliveCor device (costs £95) will let you record an ECG on your smartphone when you have the symptoms and you can show or email the recording to your cardiologist.
Usually the best treatment, if the arrhythmia is harmless, is no treatment. Drugs, especially flecainide, can be very effective long-term – either taken regularly or just when your heart is being irritable. If that does not work, then catheter ablation can be considered.
Usually the best treatment, if the arrhythmia is harmless, is no treatment. Drugs, especially flecainide, can be very effective long-term – either taken regularly or just when your heart is being irritable. If that does not work, then catheter ablation can be considered.
find the cause
Julia G. Ansari
Cardiologist
It is not uncommon for patients with congenital heart disease with correction to develop arrhythmia depending on what procedure was done. You need a holter to see what kind of arrhythmia you have, so you can be treated accordingly.
See a cardiologist, get an echo and a 24hr holter
LRF
LRF
Ok, easy an event monitor, and a echocardiogram of the heart, which should look at heart function, valves, and any shunt (holes) in the heart as they occur again, sometimes a Transesophal (tee) may need to be done. I would work that up asap.
