Fearful of Your Flutters?

Abnormal Heart Rhythms and What You Should Do About Them

Does your heart ever skip a beat? We're not talking about the figurative, love story type of skipping. We're talking about the fast-beating, heart-pounding, skipping heartbeat. These palpitations could be a sign of an irregular heartbeat known as an arrhythmia. Arrhythmias occur when the heart's electrical signals malfunction, causing the heart to beat too slow, too fast or irregularly.

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AFib). During AFib, the electrical signals in the upper chamber of your heart (the atria) fail to coordinate pumping blood through to the lower part of the heart (the ventricles). When the timing of the contractions between these two parts is out of sync, your blood does not move well throughout your body. If blood pools inside your heart, blood clots can form and potentially cause a heart attack or stroke.

Symptoms of AFib

• Heart palpitations (fluttering, racing or flip-flopping sensation)
• Awareness of your heart beating, especially in an irregular or rapid fashion
• Chest pain, pressure or discomfort
• Fatigue or weakness
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Shortness of breath

Afib is more common in adults, and your risk for an arrhythmia increases if you're over the age of 65.

When to Talk with a Doctor

While it is important to know the symptoms of AFib, not all people experience symptoms. Sometimes, AFib is diagnosed through testing conducted during an annual wellness exam, well before a patient feels the "flutters." Discuss heart health with your doctor during your next wellness visit, and report any sensation that feels like an abnormal heartbeat.

If you don't have a healthcare provider, Lutheran Health Network can help.

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When to Seek Urgent Medical Care

If you suddenly or frequently experience your heart noticeably skipping beats along with any of the other symptoms listed above, seek urgent medical care. If you are experiencing a rapid heartbeat, chest pain or signs of a medical emergency, call 911.

Learn More about Your Heart's Health

Your heart's health is vital to your overall health and wellness, and there are steps you can take to help maintain it. Regularly monitoring your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index with the guidance of a physician can reveal a lot about the health of your heart and help identify the factors that could put you at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

However, cardiovascular disease can start well before symptoms appear. For example, high blood pressure can often go unnoticed. That's why it's so important to understand the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and manage those that can be changed, such as smoking, high blood pressure, diet and exercise.

Interested in learning more about the risk factors that may be putting you at risk for cardiovascular disease? Take our free heart health assessment to receive a personalized analysis of your heart disease risk.

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