“What causes irregular heartbeats?”
My mother has been admitted in the hospital for irregular heartbeats. What causes this? Could it pose any threats?
2 Answers
"Irregular heartbeats" is a very generic term and could mean abnormalities in the heart rhythm from either the upper or lower chamber the heart. Certainly, your mom will need to be evaluated by an electrophysiologist who can then order an event monitor, which will allow him to precisely evaluate what kind of abnormal rhythm your mom had. After that, he can structure a plan for management.
Most of us have occasional irregular beats, but if your mother was admitted, it suggests she is probably in atrial fibrillation, which is not dangerous, but she will need (if that is the diagnosis) to be on anticoagulants and drugs to either stabilize the heart or slow it down if necessary. It is quite a common rhythm for older people and, if treated well, should not give her any problems.
Regards,
Gerald Lewis, MD
Regards,
Gerald Lewis, MD
