Arritmia
What is Arrhythmia?
Arrythmia is any problem related to heart rhythm, including irregular heartbeat patterns. The heart is an elegant and complex organ that relies on an electrical system to coordinate heartbeats. Arrhythmia happens when this system malfunctions and it causes the heart to pump less efficiently.
Simply put, arrhythmia is the medical term for an irregular heartbeat. With arrhythmia, the patient’s heart can beat too fast (a.k.a. tachycardia), too slowly (a.k.a. bradycardia) or it may also beat with an irregular rhythm. As a result, you may experience palpitations (heart skipping), shortness of breath or fatigue.
What Is AFib?
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is one of the most common types of arrhythmia. With AFib, the atria — the two upper chambers of the heart — fire in a fast and often uncontrolled manner. Instead of contracting normally, the atria quiver causing the electrical signals to arrive in the ventricles in an irregular fashion, and the blood may pool and/or clot. If a blood clot becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke may occur.
Varios factores pueden afectar el ritmo cardíaco y provocar arritmia, como:
- Cambios en el tejido cardíaco
- Desequilibrios sanguíneos
- Ciertos medicamentos
- Problemas con las señales eléctricas en el corazón
- Estrés, ansiedad, ira o dolor
Hay casos en los que se desconoce la causa de la arritmia de una persona. Pero algunas cosas que pueden aumentar su riesgo de tener arritmia incluyen:
- Vejez
- Estar expuesto a contaminantes del aire
- Beber alcohol
- Antecedentes familiares de arritmia
- Género (los estudios sugieren que los hombres tienen más probabilidades de experimentar arritmia que las mujeres)
- Raza o etnia
- Fumar
- Cirugía que involucra el corazón, el esófago y/o los pulmones
- Uso de drogas ilegales
La verdad es que la arritmia puede no mostrar síntomas obvios, especialmente en las primeras etapas. Los pacientes pueden notar signos de arritmia de vez en cuando, como latidos cardíacos irregulares y palpitaciones, y estos signos pueden volverse más frecuentes a medida que pasa el tiempo.
Sin embargo, si experimenta algunos de los signos y síntomas más graves de arritmia, hable con un médico de inmediato. Estos incluyen:
- Ansiedad
- Visión borrosa
- Dificultades respiratorias
- Dolor en el pecho
- Mareos
- Sudoración excesiva
- Desmayos
- Fatiga
- Cerebro nublado
- Debilidad y mareos
Cuando no se trata, la arritmia puede provocar afecciones potencialmente mortales, como ataque cardíaco, insuficiencia cardíaca y derrame cerebral. Consulte a un médico tan pronto como usted o un ser querido note o experimente signos y síntomas de arritmia.
La Asociación Estadounidense del Corazón dice que la mayoría de los tipos de arritmia son inofensivos y pueden no tratarse. Sin embargo, también hay tipos más graves, como la fibrilación auricular, que pueden requerir un plan de tratamiento y/o terapia. Algunos de los tratamientos habituales que los médicos aconsejan para la arritmia incluyen:
- Bajar la presión arterial
- Mantener niveles saludables de colesterol
- Tomar ciertos medicamentos para la arritmia
- Procedimientos (es decir, cirugía, cardioversión, ablación con catéter, etc.)
- Hacer ejercicio regularmente
- Mantener un peso saludable
- Dejar de fumar
- Comer alimentos saludables para el corazón
What Is Electrophysiology?
Electrophysiology studies (EPS) are tests that evaluate the electrical activity of the heart to determine the cause of a patient’s irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia. EPS results can help your doctor determine what type of treatment is best for your condition, whether you need medicine, cardiac ablation, a pacemaker, surgery or mere lifestyle changes.
Advanced Testing and Treatments
Baptist Health offers EPS and advanced treatment options for arrhythmia and AFib, one of the most common types of arrhythmia. These tests and treatment options can help you get back into the flow of life again. Our compassionate doctors and specialists offer a variety of testing procedures and treatments.
Helping You Find the Right Beat
By combining skilled hands and advanced technology, our doctors can help restore normal rhythm to your heart and your life. Baptist’s cardiac electrophysiologists are heart doctors (cardiologists) who have additional training in diagnosing and managing heart rhythm problems. In addition to guiding medical therapy, cardiac electrophysiologists can perform electrophysiology studies and ablations, which may provide a resolution for your heart rhythm problems without the need for medications. Our electrophysiologists also have additional training in implanting and managing pacemakers and defibrillators.
Heart & Rhythm Center of South Texas
When you have an irregular heartbeat, you may be at risk for serious heart problems and other life-threatening conditions. Baptist’s heart rhythm management center offers a top-grade atrial fibrillation treatment program for arrhythmia, close to home.
Request a Cardiologist Referral
Get your heart beating to the right rhythm.
If your heartbeat is too slow, too fast or out of rhythm, you may experience:
- Heart skipping
- Shortness of breath
- Mild chest discomfort
- Fatigue
- And in severe cases, death
The good news is, Baptist’s AFib specialists are trained in using the Stereotaxis robotic technology to help get your heart beating to the right rhythm.
We have a highly trained, patient-focused team.
The physicians at Baptist Health System are committed to providing safe care for our patients. With their advanced training using innovative technology, they’re building a new level of dedication and trust for focused heart rhythm care in San Antonio and South Texas.
This cohesive team approach involves all members of our clinical team and their dedication to providing outstanding patient care. It’s medical care that’s more than innovations in technology; it involves professionals who are all-out in providing the compassionate service you deserve. That’s Baptist care.
Heart Help Without Radiation
“In the end, I found that it actually makes the procedure much more precise, safer, and more effective,” says Dr. Stephen May about using a low to no radiation electrophysiology treatment new to San Antonio.