What Happens When the Electrical Activity of Your Heart Changes?

The heart's electrical conduction system plays a very important role in cardiovascular functioning. Also known as the atrioventricular (AV) conduction system, it regulates and controls the timing of the heartbeat.

How does the heart's electrical conduction system work?

There is a collection of electrical cells in the upper right atrium of the heart known as the sinoatrial (SA) node which acts as a natural pacemaker and generates electrical signals. These signals travel through specialized electrical pathways and stimulate the muscular walls of the heart to contract in a rhythmic manner. This gives rise to the heartbeat that pulses at a specific frequency every minute.

What is the effect of fluctuations in electrical activity on the heart?

The standard heart rate in human being ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. It slows down when a person sleeps and speeds up when one experiences physical or emotional heightening. These fluctuations are triggered by the brain or other systems of the body and signal the SA node to generate charges more rapidly or slowly. This leads to spikes and drops in the heart rate, depending on the nature of the situation.

What happens when there is dysfunction in the heart's electrical activity?

When the heart's electrical conduction system does not function properly, it leads to the occurrence of a condition known as arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythm. This happens when electrical impulses are generated in an irregular manner and causes tachycardia (rapid heartbeats) or bradycardia (slow heartbeats) which takes place in jarring infrequent tempos.

What causes fluctuations in the heart's electrical activity?

There are various kinds of triggers that cause the heart rate to fluctuate. The exact nature of fluctuation also depends on the type of trigger. A few everyday examples of these causes are as follows:
- Exercise and strenuous physical activity increases electrical activity as the heart is required to beat faster so as to increase the supply of blood and oxygen to the muscles.
- Sleep and rest reduce heart rate as the body is not needed to exert itself.
- Release of adrenaline into the bloodstream causes the heart rate to spike up.



What Happens When the Electrical Activity of Your Heart Changes?

6 Things that make you prone to heart diseases the most

Every year almost 2 lakh people opt for heart surgeries in India; and as of 2015 there were about 30 million people in the country suffered from heart diseases. There are several factors that increase the threat of heart diseases, among which some can be controlled and some can't. On one hand, where factors like being a man, old age, being a woman in the post-menopausal phase of life, and a family history of heart diseases are beyond your control; other risks can be minimized by making some lifestyle changes. 

Although natural processes like ageing, which narrow down your arteries and weaken the heart muscles increase the risk of heart diseases here are 7 factors, which dramatically increase your chances of getting heart diseases, while you are still young.

1. Genetic Factors: 
If someone in your family is already suffering or has suffered from a heart disease, especially at a young age, it increases your probability of getting a cardiovascular disease.

2. High Levels of Cholesterol in the Blood:
Chances of formation of plaque on the inner walls of the arteries increase with increasing levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. This may be a major cause of the heart disease, atherosclerosis, which happens due to accumulation of fatty substances inside the arteries. 

3. Smoking:
Smoking causes constriction of your blood vessels and may damage their inner lining due to the effect of nicotine on them. This can put you at high risk of developing atherosclerosis. Moreover, studies suggest that people who smoke are twice as prone to heart attacks in comparison to non-smokers.

4. Hypertension:
If your blood pressure level is usually above normal, it can give rise to thickened arteries, which, in turn, can reduce the passage for the flow of blood through the vessels. This damages your heart health to a large extent and makes you prone to heart diseases.

5. Diabetes:
Uncontrolled diabetes increases your chances of getting a heart attack, especially because diabetes almost goes hand in hand with diabetes and obesity, which are risk factors of heart diseases.

6. Stress:
If you fail to keep your levels of stress and anger in check, they may have a damaging effect on your arteries. This can make way for strokes and heart attacks in the future.



The 6 Things that Make You Prone to Heart Diseases the Most

Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator is an electronic device that is located in the chest of the patient suffering from arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is a condition which causes abnormal rhythm of heartbeat in the patients. It is a life-threatening condition. The device is located in the chest to correct the rhythm of a heartbeat.

AICD device works in two ways:

Firstly, it tries to correct the abnormal heartbeat rhythm and release high- speed heartbeat pace. This is called cardioversion. Patients with AICD generally do not feel the process.

However, if the effect of cardioversion is null then the device will give a mild electric shock to the patient's heart to correct arrhythmia and reset the rhythm.

This second method is called defibrillation. The patient can feel the defibrillation.

The modern-day AICD device is programmed to store the data about the patient s heart rhythm. Doctors use the programmed device which contains your condition and provides medically correct therapy.

Preparation for AICD Implantation

The patient is required to fast six hours before undergoing the surgery. On admission, prescribed medicine is given to the patient and the latest heart condition is measured by an ECG test. If the patient is on blood-thinning medication, then it will be stopped 24 hours before the surgery.

The procedure will be carried out by a cardiologist. The patient will remain under observation in the hospital for at least two days.

Procedure

The entire process of setting up the device in the chest of the patient takes about 2 hours. The patient is sedated, and the area below the collarbone is numbed for the operation. A small incision is made in the chest area. With the help of imaging techniques, cardiologist sets up the device in the chest. The device is then connected to the veins and the heart. After the surgery, the patient is kept under observation. Heart rate, blood pressure, and overall health condition are observed by the doctors to determine successful implantation of Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (AICD). Post Procedure After the successful recovery of the patient, doctors usually discharge the patient with AICD attached. The doctors give complete care instructions of the device along with health. Doctors also guide the patient through the list of activities that one can and cannot perform. AICD is a life-saving device. Hence, proper care and regular check-ups are recommended by the doctors. The regular check-up of the device is also essential since the device runs on a battery. The doctors also train the patient about the workings of the device. They will also explain about the mild shocks of the device one may receive to correct the arrhythmia. Before leaving, make sure the site of the surgery is dry and healing, and you do not have a fever for the past 24 hours.

AICD Implantation - Know Procedure Of It!

Why it is important for heart patient to relax

Stress is almost inevitable in our times! however do you know that it is not the external stress that triggers that ruins us, it always our reaction to these inputs that pull us down.

If you are stressed, your body works up more adrenaline. Adrenaline in fact is the foremost heart stressor. A very easy way out is to channel it out through exercising, yoga or meditation - whichever suits your lifestyle.

However, it you have excessive stress, never live with it. Find innovative ways of ridding yourself of any kind of worry or tension. Talk to a friend, a counsellor or your partner - destress before it gets to your heart.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on consult.


Why 'Chillax' is the Only Learning Heart Patients Often Need!

Heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction, is a severe condition where death of the heart muscle occurs because of the loss of blood supply. The blood loss usually happens because of the blockage of a coronary artery. Due to electrical instability, ventricular fibrillation is caused. Heart attacks may result in permanent brain damage or even death.

Symptoms of heart attack
There are many early symptoms and signs of heart attack, which should be recognized. Symptoms of heart attack vary from person to person. Here is a list of the primary heart attack symptoms:

Chest pain and discomfort:
Chest pain is the basic symptom of a heart attack and occurs in different forms. The chest pain has a pressure, fullness and squeezing sensation and starts from the center of the chest. The pain may go away and re-occur and may spread down to other limbs of the body.
Headache, toothache:
The chest pain occurring due to a heart attack spreads all over the body and the jaw. Even the back and head are affected. Sometimes pain in these regions is present while chest pain is absent.
Shortness of breath:
A gasping sensation or feeling shortness of breath is another common sign of a heart attack. Such breathing difficulty is called dyspnea. The shortness of breath occurs before or during the chest pain.
Nausea and vomiting:
The feeling of nausea or sickness in the stomach is another possible symptom. It is accompanied by belching or burping and sometimes, the heart attack is associated with a feeling of indigestion. Nausea is more common in women. Vomiting also occurs alongside nausea.
General epigastric discomfort:
In several cases, patients describe the pain of a heart attack as stomach pain. The pain is heavy and uncomfortable and persists for several minutes.
Sweating:
Perspiration or sweating occurs during a heart attack and the patient experiences cold sweat in avid amounts.

Emergency treatment for heart attack-
A person who has a heart attack should be rushed to a hospital.
Several tests are carried out to detect the cause of the attack. A 12 lead ekg is carried out to supervise electrical activity within the heart and detect the damaged areas.
Blood tests are undertaken to check enzymes and in certain cases, cardiac catheterization is required where pictures of the blood vessels are examined.
Emergency medicines are given to the patient to stop the formation of blood clots and include aspirin, heparin and other drugs. Other medicines are given for thrombolytic therapy, which dissolve already formed blood clots. They work to reduce the heart damage. Nitrates are also used.

A heart attack is a severe condition and must be attended to immediately. Emergency treatment procedures are essential to save the life of an affected person.

Heart Attack - Signs, Symptoms and Emergency Treatment

With recent lifestyle changes, more and more people, younger in age, are falling prey to heart attacks. While some silently suffer the attack during their sleep and never wake up, others have symptoms which they dismiss as acidity or muscular pain and ignore them. There are multiple media programs that are trying to create awareness about how to identify a heart attack. If done at the right time, there is a good chance that the person can be saved.

What is a Heart Attack?

The blood vessels gradually narrow, reducing the blood flow to the target organs. This reduces the efficiency of the target organ, and if this happens to be the heart, it is known as a heart attack. The area that should ideally receive blood does not, leading to its  death.  If the damage is not severe, it can be reversed. However, if this attack happens in one of the critical areas of the heart, it can even be fatal.

Symptoms To Watch For: Very few attacks happen suddenly. Most start slowly and progress, and if identified on time, a life can be saved. The episode takes about an hour, and if you are well-versed with the symptoms, it could help identify the condition correctly and save a life. Most people use antacids and muscle relaxants to ease the situation, which does provide immediate relief, but not a proper cure.

There is a central pain which is constant, nagging, and has a squeezing like sensation. This causes discomfort and most often, this pain is in the center of the chest area, which lasts for just a few minutes. Sometimes the pain can go and come back. This pain radiates down into the arm, up into the neck area, and also into the jaw and is almost always indicative of a heart attack.

With chest pain, there is always shortness of breath which the person will experience. This is due to reduced oxygen levels in the body.

Associated symptoms include fatigue, exhaustion, nausea, dizziness, light-headedness.

There is almost always profused sweating where the person breaks into a cold sweat.

If the attack happens during sleep, the person may be snoring and may feel, as if something is choking his airway.

Due to reduced return of blood from the peripheral organs, there could be swelling of the feet and ankles.

If there is irregular heart beat (palpitations) very often, talk to your doctor about it.

When you suspect a person of having a heart attack, check for these signs. Very often, a heart attack is detectable and can be managed with timely intervention.

Signs Of A Heart Attack

Don't wait any longer, manage your ECHO (Echocardiography) online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for ECHO (Echocardiography) - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES