When sections of an orchestra play incorrect rhythms or at a different tempo from the rest of the ensemble, listeners can find the experience jarring and even disruptive.
A problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat is an arrhythmia, and its effects can be considerably more profound than a disappointing concert. Musical missteps are usually obvious, but arrhythmias can be asymptomatic and silently increase the risk of serious cardiac events.
Symptoms of arrhythmias can include:
- Palpitations – fluttering, pounding or racing chest sensations
- A fast or slow heartbeat
- Chest discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Sweating
- Fatigue
Disorganized electrical signals are at the bottom of many arrhythmias, particularly Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, which occurs in the atria, or the heart’s top chambers.
That’s when the top part becomes electrical chaos,” explained cardiac electrophysiologist Raffaele Corbisiero, M.D. “and the heart is very irregularly irregular. And that’s an issue that needs attention, because not only does it often cause symptoms for the patient but it may cause future medical conditions, the biggest of which is stroke.”
AFib may be brief and resolve on its own, or it may be persistent and require long-term treatment to restore a normal rhythm. But even with the medications available, AFib can become permanent – sometimes quite quickly – where medicines don’t work or themselves aren’t tolerated by the patient.
KYW’s Rasa Kaye talks with Dr. Corbisiero about this most common of arrhythmias and how his team at Deborah diagnoses it, stages it, and treats it, including an assessment of COVID’s impact and new technologies in electrophysiology.
To schedule an appointment, visit DemandDeborah.org or call 609-831-4456.
This Health Report is sponsored by Deborah Heart and Lung Center.