THE MOST DANGEROUS IS WHEN THE HEART JUMPS: A well-known cardiologist on the types of arrhythmias, how they are detected and treated (PHOTO)

In most patients, these symptoms occur as a consequence of pre-existing cardiovascular disease, but they can also occur in healthy people. Neither of you should ignore an irregular heartbeat. Because every arrhythmia requires an exam. Otherwise, a heart that “jumps off the track” can lead to a sudden fatal outcome.

In an interview for “Novosti”, Professor Dr. Dragan Simić, a cardiologist-internist at the Serbian Clinical Center, says that the most dangerous thing is when the heart “jumps”:

– This sensation occurs more frequently in the case of ventricular arrhythmias. These are complex heart rhythm disorders and not a few patients complain that they cannot live normally as long as their heart skips. Therefore, this symptom is a very important problem that should be referred to the doctor.

* Why are ventricular arrhythmias dangerous?

– They occur more frequently sporadically, in seizures and can be the main cause of sudden heart death. We do not always know its cause. They can often appear in the field of the previously damaged myocardium, although they can also exist in conditionally healthy people who have a structurally healthy heart. In such cases, suddenly, a person can lose consciousness and collapse and die in vain, while the environment says that he was completely healthy. Chronic stress can also be the cause of heart failure. This is the case of a large number of young people who are not in a position to control it.

Photo: VN

* What types of heart rhythm disorders are there?

– Heart rhythm disorders are very numerous and diverse. Arrhythmology is a special branch of cardiology and there are few physicians who deal with this field of cardiology in our country and in the world. Basically, what is easy to explain is that all arrhythmias are divided into ventricular and atrial.

* What are atrial arrhythmias and how dangerous are they?

– The most common atrial arrhythmia that occurs in the population is absolute arrhythmia, also known as atrial fibrillation. It is directly related to the age of the patient and the presence of comorbidities, such as hypertension or diabetes. We are increasingly witnessing situations in which our patients have a long asymptomatic period of this disease in which they do not feel an alteration of the heart rhythm and are not treated accordingly. Such a situation is extremely dangerous, because in such circumstances the risk of stroke increases three to four times.

* Is atrial fibrillation always asymptomatic?

– Approximately 15 to 30 percent of patients have an asymptomatic form of the disease. Other patients have a very symptomatic arrhythmia, manifested by a feeling of trembling, lack of strength, rapid fatigue, and often a feeling of discomfort in the chest. Sometimes some patients have significantly reduced exercise tolerance and a feeling of shortness of breath. Patients with atrial fibrillation are usually between the ages of 60 and 70. So this is a disease that accompanies the aging process, but occasionally it can also occur in younger people.

Photo: VN

* What is the cause of atrial fibrillation?

– The main cause of its appearance is the already altered condition of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, few people have atrial fibrillation alone. It develops mainly as a consequence of many years of unregulated blood pressure or when it is not sufficiently well regulated. It occurs mainly in people with diabetes, in patients who are being treated for ischemic heart disease or heart failure. It usually accompanies obese people, men, who consume alcohol, a lot of caffeine, energy drinks …

* Are there medications for heart rhythm disorders?

– Yes of course. There are large groups of drugs – antiarrhythmics. When it is found out what type of cardiac work disorder it is, an appropriate drug therapy is prescribed. There are heart rhythm disorders that can be treated very successfully with radiofrequency catheter ablation. There is a team of electrophysiologists in the Cardiology Clinic of the Serbian Clinical Center, which treats a large number of patients with great success, by ablating the part of the myocardium that is considered the site of the arrhythmia.

* What diagnostics are available to you?

– ECG, heart ultrasound and holter heart rhythm monitoring are of great importance to us. When we want to see some specific rhythm disturbances, we apply the 12th channel holter. In situations where we cannot make a diagnosis based on these methods, we place a small device under the skin in the chest area, which constantly records the work of the heart for a long time.

* What is a normal heart rate?

– It is considered normal for the heart to have 60 to 80 beats per minute. However, there are people who live with 96, 102, 105, 110. It is important to note that chronic anemia and thyroid disease, as well as anxiety, tension, and nervousness can lead to an irregular heartbeat.

Photo: VN

A REST OF MORE THAN TWO SECONDS

* EXCEPT it can beat fast, slow and jump in the work of the heart, breaks are also possible.

– Yes, these breaks cause syncope or sudden loss of consciousness and patients collapse from pure peace and are injured. These conditions have been resolved in cardiology for many years by installing a pacemaker. Therefore, any patient who has a cardiac rupture lasting more than two and a half seconds is a candidate for a pacemaker.