Meaning of Arrhythmia
The concept that we are going to approach is made up of two parts that have their etymological origin in the Greek. Those two parts are as follows: the prefix “a” which means “without” and the term ρυθμός which can be translated as “rhythm”. Therefore, based on this qualification, we could say that arrhythmia is synonymous with “without rhythm”.
According to DigoPaul, the arrhythmia refers to the lack of a pace that is stable or regular. In the medical field, arrhythmia involves a disorder in the systole of the heart.
This means that, when contracting to pump blood, the heart performs movements that are irregular and arrhythmic. The structure that is responsible for controlling the heart rate is known as the sinoatrial node. From this structure arises the electrical impulse that orders the contraction movement developed by the atria.
Upon reaching the atrioventricular node, the electrical impulse reaches the His bundle and generates ventricular contraction.
Why is the rhythm and the proper circulation of the impulse important? If the contraction of the heart does not take place when this organ is loaded with blood, its distribution to the body will be inadequate. Arrhythmia, in short, is the name given to abnormalities of the heart rhythm.
In this sense, we can emphasize that when a cardiac arrhythmia occurs in a person, it basically occurs for three reasons. One of them may be because the paths for electrical conduction to take place are altered; another because the necessary electrical impulse has not been produced in the appropriate area; and finally the third reason may be because a failure occurs in the mechanism as a consequence of not enough momentum.
In addition to all this, it must be added that arrhythmias can be classified according to four clearly differentiated criteria such as their origin (ventricular or supraventicular), their repetition (chronic or paroxysmal), their heart rate (slow or fast) and their cause (pathological or physiological).
In any of these cases cited, the person suffering from them will have a series of symptoms that clearly determine that they are suffering from an arrhythmia. Among them would be from dizziness to palpitations, passing through unconsciousness and even chest pain. However, it must be emphasized that, on certain occasions, these symptoms may go completely unnoticed and will only be discovered when the individual in question is subjected to diagnostic tests.
The tachycardia is an arrhythmia involving excessively rapid pulse, in which are recorded over one hundred beats per minute. If, on the other hand, the pulse is slow (with less than sixty beats every sixty seconds), the arrhythmia is known as bradycardia.
In any case of arrhythmia, it is recommended that the affected person consult a cardiologist. Some disorders require the supply of drugs, others require an artificial device that helps control rhythm (a pacemaker), and more severe cases may require cardiac surgery to reverse the arrhythmia and avoid its consequences on the body.