Can cardiac arrhythmia kill?
Arrhythmia is a change in heart rate where the heart, instead of beating at regular intervals and with the same intensity, beats irregularly, accelerated or slowly, these episodes usually last only a few seconds or minutes and, in many cases, are not even noticed.
- In most cases of arrhythmias there is no health risk.
- Most disappear spontaneously.
- Generate few symptoms and improve with certain lifestyle change measures such as regular physical activity.
- A good night’s sleep.
- The elimination of cigarettes and drinks.
- Avoiding the use of energy drinks and/or stimulants such as coffee.
However, there are also arrhythmias considered malignant that, if not treated properly, can lead to cardiac arrest, endangering life if immediate medical assistance is not available.
Arrhythmia can be considered severe or malignant when it is caused by a change in the electrical functioning of the heart or when the heart muscle is affected by a disease; in these cases, the cause is more difficult to avoid and therefore there is an increased risk of the pace changing over a longer period of time, such as the increased risk of cardiac arrest.
In addition, in people with atrial fibrillation, there is also a risk of clots forming, which can break off and reach the brain and cause a stroke.
In all cases of arrhythmias it is very important to perform a thorough medical assessment to identify the cause and initiate the most appropriate treatment, in some cases it is sufficient to avoid some substances, while in others it may be necessary to take anti-inflammatory drugs.-medicines for arrhythmia or even to place certain devices such as the implantable cardiac defibrillator (IDD), pacemaker, among others.To better understand the treatment options for arrhythmia.