Arrhythmia and Heart Rhythm Disorders

An arrhythmia is any abnormal heart rhythm. Arrhythmia is also referred to as an irregular heartbeat.

Common Types of Arrhythmia

Bradycardia is when the heart beats too slowly. With bradycardia, the resting heart rate is less than 60 beats per minute.
Tachycardia is when the heart beats too quickly. With tachycardia, the resting heart rate is greater than 100 beats per minute. Tachycardia can lead to serious complications and requires medical supervision.
Atrial fibrillation is a common type of tachycardia that requires medical supervision.

St. Peter’s Approach to Arrhythmia Treatment

The cardiology care team at St. Peter’s Health provides medical management and non-invasive treatment of arrhythmias and other heart rhythm issues, including:

Lifestyle modifications: Changes to your lifestyle can potentially reduce your arrhythmia symptoms. Your heart team will discuss with you changes that might help, including:
- Eating a low fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat
- Increasing your amount and level of exercise
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Moderate caffeine consumption
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Quitting smoking
Medications: Some arrhythmias can be controlled using medications. The type of medication you need depends on the type of arrhythmia you have and any underlying heart conditions that may be related to it.
Cardioversion: Some arrhythmias can be restored to normal rhythm using electrical shocks. This procedure is known as cardioversion.
Pacemaker: For slow heart beats, we can implant a pacemaker. This small device uses sensors to monitor your heart rate. When it is too slow, the pacemaker sends electrical impulses to the heart so it beats faster.
Referrals for additional therapies: For arrhythmias that require additional treatment, we will refer you to an outside hospital. Additional therapies may include ablation or an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD). Our team provides follow-up visits to check your device and your heart rate on an ongoing basis.