What Is Tachyarrhythmias

A racing heartbeat is known as tachycardia. When it is rapid and arrhythmia, it is called tachyarrhythmia and can be a potentially dangerous medical condition. You may be able to feel tachyarrhythmia, but sometimes a faster heartbeat than usual does not always show up.

What is tachyarrhythmia?

Your heartbeat is controlled by an electrical system. It tells the heart when to pump oxygen into the body and when it should release and allow the heart to fill with blood again. When this electrical circuit is interrupted, an arrhythmia occurs. Changes in this cycle can cause your heartbeat to accelerate, slow down, slow down, or even beat in an unbalanced pattern.

Along with the abnormal rhythm, tachyarrhythmia causes a heartbeat of over 100 beats per minute (bpm) An Adult Source. The normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 bpm.

If you have just finished a vigorous aerobic exercise, you should expect your heart rate to rise for a while and then return to normal. In tachyarrhythmia, rapid heartbeat for reasons unrelated to aerobic activity or other common causes of rapid heartbeat.

Tachyarrhythmia is not a single condition. There are several types of tachyarrhythmias, each representing a different problem with electrical conduction in the heart.

Classification of tachyarrhythmia:

Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT): Arrhythmia from the top of the AV node (from atrial origin or AV junction origin).

• Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
• Atrial flutter
• Atrial tachycardia
• Atrial premature complex (PAC)
• Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT)
• Atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT)
• AV junctional extrasystoles
• Ventricular Tachycardia (VT): The origin of arrhythmia is below the AV node.

• Ventricular fibrillation (V-fib)
• Ventricular premature beats (PVC)
• Ventricular tachycardia (persistent or chronic)

Tachyarrhythmias can also be classified based on the length of the QRS complex period being: 

• Sinus tachycardia
• Atrial tachycardia (AT)
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT)
• Atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT)
• Junctional ectopic tachycardia
• Sinoatrial nodal reentrant tachycardia (SANRT)
• Atrial fibrillation (abnormal QRS complexes)

What are the different types?

Because changes in your cardiovascular system can occur in a variety of areas, it makes sense that there are different types of tachyarrhythmia. 

Examples of tachyarrhythmia include:

• Multifocal atrial tachycardia: 

It’s extremely rare to have multifocal atrial tachycardia, which occurs when the heart’s atria send out too many signals to the ventricles at once. Those who have heart or lung issues are more likely to have it.

• Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia:

Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia causes atria to enter and exit atrial tachycardia.

• Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia:

An electrical short circuit in the heart’s regular course causes the heartbeat to speed up, rather than drop down as it normally would. This condition is known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PST). This is an episodic genre as well.

• Sinus tachycardia:

This condition arises when the heart’s natural pacemaker, the sinus node, sends out impulses that cause it to beat at a higher rate than normal. Temporary irregular heartbeats can be caused by a variety of things, including strenuous activity or caffeine consumption. Having sinus tachycardia that develops without a clear cause might be dangerous.

• Ventricular tachycardia:

A tachyarrhythmia that occurs in the ventricles is called ventricular tachycardia. At least three abnormal heartbeats in a row are a symptom of this illness. Consider your life in jeopardy here.

• Atrial fibrillation: 

An irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent type of cardiac arrhythmia. When blood flow to the lower extremities or ventricles is disrupted, it affects the entire body.

• Atrial flutter:

Having an irregular heartbeat is known as atrial flutter. In this condition, your heart’s lower chambers beat at a rate that is faster than normal because the upper chambers are working harder.

What are the current therapies?

In mild cases of tachyarrhythmia, treatment may not be necessary. However, if the condition worsens or threatens to cause heart problems, the doctor may prescribe any other type of arrhythmia medication to restore a healthy heartbeat. 

Types of medicines include:

• Beta-blockers, help slow down your heart rate and energy by blocking adrenaline (epinephrine) binding to beta receptors.
• Calcium channel blockers, also help slow heartbeat and shortness of breath
• Antiarrhythmic drugs, affect the flow of electricity to the heart
• Cardiac output is one of the most widely used treatments. 
• The doctor may use radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation to destroy a small portion of the heart muscle that is believed to be a source of abnormal electrical activity. This can be done using a catheter-directed up to the heart through the artery above the thigh or arm.
• Similarly, treatments called external cardioversion are often helpful when medications or other therapies have failed. In this procedure, two patches are placed on your chest. These are attached to a defibrillator that brings electrical shock to reset your heart rate. This is done under general anaesthesia.
• Internal cardioversion is less common. This procedure involves connecting two catheters to the arteries starting at the groin and ending at the heart. 
• Catheters bring low-level electrical shock to the heart rate in hopes of returning it to normal.
• Devices like a pacemaker or implanted cardioverter defibrillator can be fitted with chest surgery to help you maintain a normal heartbeat.

Conclusion 

Now we know what tachyarrhythmias are and their types and causes. We also know how they can be treated with medicines and therapy. As this is a problem to be noted and should be taken care of by every individual in our society.