Heart Electrical Activity Problems

A healthy sa node has an intrinsic heart beat.

Heart electrical activity problems.

Sometimes an irregular heart beat can be improved by adjusting medications. This may be the situation when the slow heart beat is due to problems with the sinus node sick sinus syndrome. The electrical signals control the way your heart beats. Abnormalities in the heart s electrical system can lead to problems with the heart rate too fast or too slow or can entirely disrupt the normal functioning of the heart even if the heart s muscles and valves themselves are entirely normal.

Talking about the cardiac electrical system and abnormal heart rhythms can be very confusing. Heart block is a problem with the flow of electrical signals in your heart. Heart problems often affect the electrical activity of your heart. Heart arrhythmias uh rith me uhs may feel like a fluttering or racing heart and may be harmless.

The heart and its electrical activity work within a narrow range of normal. With heart block these signals are delayed or interrupted completely. Heart rhythm problems heart arrhythmias occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate your heartbeats don t work properly causing your heart to beat too fast too slow or irregularly. An electrocardiogram records the electrical activity of your heart.

Your doctor may recommend an ekg if you re experiencing symptoms or signs that may suggest a heart problem including. You wear small electrode patches on your chest arms and legs for the quick painless test which you take in your doctor s office. The timing of the heart s contractions is directed by the heart s electrical system. These actions when timed perfectly allow for an efficient pump.

Fortunately the body tends to protect the heart as best as it can. Rhythm disturbances may be normal physiologic responses but some may be potentially life threatening. It may also happen when you are do a certain activity such as exercise. Every cell in the heart can act as a pacemaker.

However often the slow heart beat cannot be improved by medication adjustments and then a pacemaker is needed. Pacemakers are also needed when there is electrical block of the signals.