'My heart skipped a beat upon meeting her' is a line often deemed romantic. However, fitness experts might joke that it might just be arrhythmia saying hello. To put it in simple words, arrhythmia means irregular heartbeat - it can be too fast, slow or inconsistent. While certain arrhythmias are harmless, others can be quite life-threatening in nature. Dr PR Bhima Shankar, Senior Consultant and Cardiac Electrophysiologist at the Caritas Hospital, Kottayam, explains the phenomenon. 

Types of Arrhythmia
Dr Shankar says that arrhythmia can occur in either the upper or lower chambers of the heart. "The irregular rhythms of the upper chamber are not ominous, but the ones from the lower chamber can be fatal," he explains. 

Past cardiac issues are the most common causes of arrhythmia. Photo: iStock
Past cardiac issues are the most common causes of arrhythmia. Photo: iStock

What causes arrhythmia?
1. Past cardiac issues are the most common causes. 
2. Genetic disorders can cause arrhythmia in normal hearts.
3. Hypertension and diabetes can lead to chamber dilatations and eventually, arrhythmia. 

Symptoms of arrhythmia
1. Palpitations
2. Sweating and fainting
3. Breathlessness

Arrhythmia can occur in either the upper or lower chambers of the heart. Photo: iStock
Arrhythmia can occur in either the upper or lower chambers of the heart. Photo: iStock
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How to detect arrhythmia and treat it
Holter recordings or continuous ECG monitoring for 24 hours or even 15 days are used to get a clear picture of irregular heartbeats. Once detected, antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat the condition. If the symptoms don't subside with these drugs, procedures such as radiofrequency ablation to treat abnormal heart tissue, or devices such as an automatic implantable defibrillator, which can detect and treat problematic rhythms, are used.

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