PVCs are extra, abnormal heartbeats that begin in the ventricles, and may disrupt your regular heart rhythm, sometimes this kind of rhythm causes you to feel a skipped beat or palpitations. PVCs are common and usually harmless. Not all abnormal heart rhythms are life-threatening, but those should all be evaluated for you to receive proper care.

As far as the treatment of arrhythmia goes, many people shall be treated by medication alone, and a number of treatments for arrhythmia are OP based. There are a variety of treatment options, depending on the clinical condition of the patient, and those include:

Drug therapy : Blood thinners, beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers.

Implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) : This is an implantable device which uses electrical pulses to help control abnormal cardiac rhythms.

Electrical cardioversion : This is a therapy by using external defibrillator to deliver an electric shock to the chest wall in order to restore a normal heart rhythm.

Pacemaker : An implanted device that delivers painless electric pulses that stimulate the heart to beat.

Catheter ablation : A minimally invasive catheter-based procedure intended to cure atrial fibrillation, using radiofrequency energy to cauterize areas that are generating the atrial fibrillation rhythm.

AV node ablation : A catheter-based procedure for patients’ with atrial fibrillation that are not responding to medications.

All kind of arrhythmias can be treated with an ablation. Some patients’ may need an implantable device, such as a pacemaker or an implantable cardiac defibrillator. Sometimes a catheter-based ablation may be required, which is done through a small incision in the leg just like they do for an angiogram, allowing shorter recovery time.

Our specialists here at MMM has performed over 5,000 catheter ablations and have conducted numerous clinical trials and various studies that have shown its long-term effectiveness.

A sick sinus syndrome occurs when the sinus node (the heart’s own pacemaker) does not function normally. Sick sinus syndrome is pretty rare in young people except when there is a heart surgery performed involving the heart’s upper chambers, (the atrium). These operations include the Fontan procedure, Senning or Mustard procedure, repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, and repair of atrial septal defects (ASDs). The incidence of sick sinus syndrome increases over time after these operations. The heartbeat usually starts in the sinus node, (a group of special cells in the upper right atrium). The sinus node speeds up the heart rate when the body is active and slows it down when the body is at rest. In sick sinus syndrome, the sinus node is not able to adjust the heart rate to match the level of activity. The sinus node may also fire slowly and/or irregularly and there may be causing long pauses between beats. This often causes decreased energy levels and low stamina during exercise. The heart rate may also slow down too quickly after exercise causing fainting. The slow, irregular heart rate also increases the risk of abnormal fast heart rhythms called atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation.

The health effects of sick sinus syndrome vary widely. There may be only mild or no symptoms for many. The person may have decreased exercise endurance. If the heart rate is too slow with long pauses, lightheadedness or fainting can occur.

Symptoms : Symptoms include low energy levels, low exercise tolerance, lightheadedness, chest pain with exercise and syncope.

Findings : The pulse is slow and often irregular. The physical findings otherwise reflect any underlying heart disease.

Tests : One of the first tests usually done is an ECG. This is a safe and painless test that involves putting some stickers across the chest. The stickers are connected to a machine that records the heart’s electrical activity. Other tests include a Holter monitor, echocardiogram, and/or an exercise treadmill test. If further information is needed, a heart catheterization called an electrophysiologic study may be done.

If there are symptoms caused by the slow heart rate, repeated episodes of atrial flutter/fibrillation, very slow heart rates, or long pauses between heart beats, a pacemaker may be recommended. Unfortunately, there are no medications that can be used on a long term basis to treat sick sinus syndrome.

Overall, the outlook with sick sinus syndrome is good. Often the problem causes only mild symptoms. If needed, pacemakers have proven to be effective in treating symptoms with few changes in lifestyle needed.

Heart block is an abnormal heart rhythm that usually results in a slow heart rate. It is caused by a problem in the heart’s electrical conduction system. When a patient has a heart block, the electrical impulse is either delayed or blocked completely as it travels from the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) to the heart’s lower chambers (the ventricles). There are three different types of heart blocks, namely first degree, second degree, and third degree heart block.

Heart block occurs at the level of the AV node. In first degree heart block, the impulse is slowed but it does reach the ventricles resulting in a normal heart rate. In second degree, some of the impulses are blocked while others get through it, so the heart rate is often slower than normal and irregular. In third degree heart block or complete heart block, none of the impulses from the upper chambers are able to reach through t the lower chambers. Nearly all patients’ with complete heart block have what is called an escape rhythm. An escape rhythm comes from the heart’s lower chambers and provides a slow heart rate, usually between 40 and 60 beats per minute.

The most common type of heart block is third degree heart block. This is also called complete heart block or complete AV heart block. It can be present at birth or it can occur later part in life. It is also called congenital heart block if it is present at birth. Overall, this is very rare, but occurs more often if the mother has a disease called lupus erythematosus. It is also common in infants who are born with a rare heart defect called corrected transposition of the great arteries.

Complete heart block can also occur after heart surgery. The risk of heart block is greater when the surgery involves areas that are close to the normal conduction system. These operations include repair of subaortic stenosis, VSD repair, and mitral valve repair. Complete heart block can also be a complication of a heart infection such as myocarditis.

Those born with a heart block who have an otherwise normal heart usually do very well even though their heart rates may be quite slow. Most of them have good energy levels and grow and develop normally. In children with very slow heart rates (e.g. for heart rates < 45 to 50 beats per minute, long pauses between heart beats, low energy, or syncope, a pacemaker may be needed).

If there are symptoms from having too low heart rate, the primary treatment would be a pacemaker implantation.

Overall the outlook with heart block is very good. As described above, the main treatment is placement of a pacemaker. Pacemakers are pretty safe and effective and require only a few changes in lifestyle.