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Disturbances in Heart Rhythm

Disturbances in Heart Rhythm

Arrhythmia or dysrhythmia refers to an abnormal heart rhythm caused by a defect in the heart's conduction system. It can cause the heart to beat irregularly, too quickly, or too slowly, leading to symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and fainting. Factors such as stress, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, certain drugs, congenital defects, diseases, and electrolyte abnormalities can trigger arrhythmias.
Arrhythmias are categorized by their speed, rhythm, and origin. A slow...

Increased pulse rate

Increased pulse rate

Tachycardia is a condition marked by an abnormally fast or irregular heart rate, surpassing the typical resting rate. In adults, tachycardia is characterized by a pulse rate ranging from 100 to 180 beats per minute. The increased heart rate can result in inadequate blood flow to various body parts, ultimately diminishing the oxygen supply to organs and tissues.
Many factors can elevate the risk of developing tachycardia. These include advanced age, a family history of arrhythmias, and an...

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers

Adrenergic stimulation generally impacts cardiac rate and rhythm. Specifically, stimulation of the β-adrenoceptors triggers an increase in intracellular calcium ion influx and pacemaker currents, which may cause arrhythmias. Catecholamines like adrenaline also demonstrate β2-adrenoceptor-mediated hypokalemia, impacting cardiac action potential and disrupting the normal cardiac rhythm. Class II antiarrhythmic drugs are β-adrenoceptor antagonists or β-blockers, which...

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers

Class IV antiarrhythmic drugs, such as verapamil and diltiazem, block calcium channels. They primarily affect the heart, slowing the conduction in calcium-dependent tissues like the SA and AV nodes. These drugs manage reentrant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and reduce ventricular rate in atrial flutter/fibrillation.
Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, inhibits calcium movement across myocardial cell membranes and vascular smooth muscle. This results in the dilation of coronary and...

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers

Class III antiarrhythmic drugs are a group of medications that can prolong action potentials in the heart. They achieve this by blocking potassium channels or enhancing inward currents from sodium channels. However, these drugs have a unique property of "reverse use-dependence," which is most pronounced at slower heart rates and can lead to torsades de pointes—a specific type of arrhythmia. However, it is essential to note that excessive QT interval prolongation—a measure of...

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat various types of arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms. These drugs block the sodium (Na+) channels in the cardiac cells, thereby affecting the movement of electrical impulses across the heart. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are divided into three subgroups: Class IA, Class IB, and Class IC, each with distinct mechanisms of action and effects on the heart.
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction

Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction

Published on: January 31, 2019

Pharmacological Approach for Symptomatic Nonsustained Ventricular Tachycardia.

Ida Obeso-Martinez¹, Farshad Raissi

¹Author Affiliations: University of San Diego, San Diego, California (Dr Colio); Imperial Cardiac Center, Imperial, California (Dr Obeso-Martinez); and University of California San Diego, San Diego (Dr Raissi).

Advanced Emergency Nursing Journal

|May 13, 2024

Summary

Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) is a common heart rhythm issue. This case discusses its typical presentation and treatment in stable patients.

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Area of Science:

Cardiology
Electrophysiology

Background:

Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) is a frequent arrhythmia linked to various cardiac conditions like heart failure and coronary artery disease.
While often asymptomatic, NSVT can manifest with symptoms such as palpitations, near-syncope, dizziness, chest pain, and dyspnea.

Purpose of the Study:

To detail the common clinical presentation of stable NSVT.
To outline the pharmacological management strategies for patients diagnosed with stable NSVT.

Main Methods:

Diagnosis often necessitates prolonged cardiac monitoring, mobile cardiac telemetry (MCT), or internal loop recorders, as standard ECG may not capture the arrhythmia upon emergency department (ED) arrival.
Case study approach focusing on typical patient presentation and subsequent treatment.

Main Results:

NSVT diagnosis can be challenging due to intermittent nature, often requiring advanced monitoring beyond initial ECG.
Elevated troponin levels can occur due to demand ischemia in some NSVT cases.

Conclusions:

Effective identification of NSVT relies on extended cardiac monitoring.
Pharmacological interventions are key in managing stable NSVT presentations.