What is arrhythmia?
Arrhythmias (also called dysrhythmias) are irregular heartbeats which make the heart pump less effectively, causing the heart rate to be too slow, too fast or erratic. Arrhythmias are caused by a disturbance in the electrical activity that paces your heartbeat. Almost everyone’s heart skips a beat now and then, but people suffering from recurrent arrhythmias should be under close medical supervision. Persons with a common arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation are at increased risk of stroke (see Heart Diseases & Conditions for more information on arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation).
An arrhythmia is a change in the regular beat of the heart. The heart may seem to skip a beat or beat irregularly or very fast or very slowly Many times, there is no recognizable cause for an arrhythmia. In other cases, heart disease may be the cause of the irregular heartbeat. Arrhythmias may also be caused by stress or the use of caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, diet pills, or cough and cold medicines.
