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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffCertain arrhythmias may increase your risk of developing conditions such as:
- Stroke. When your heart quivers, it's unable to pump blood effectively, which can cause blood to pool. This can cause blood clots to form. If a clot breaks loose, it can travel to and obstruct a brain artery, causing a stroke. This may damage a portion of your brain or lead to death.
- Heart failure. This can result if your heart is pumping ineffectively for a prolonged period due to a bradycardia or tachycardia, such as atrial fibrillation. Sometimes, controlling the rate of an arrhythmia that's causing heart failure can improve your heart's function.
References
- The heart's electrical system: Working and not. American Heart Association. http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=34. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Heart rhythm disorders. Heart Rhythm Society. http://www.hrsonline.org/PatientInfo/HeartRhythmDisorders/index.cfm. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Long QT syndrome. Heart Rhythm Society. http://www.hrsonline.org/PatientInfo/HeartRhythmDisorders/IDisorders/index.cfm. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Atrial flutter. Heart Rhythm Society. http://www.hrsonline.org/PatientInfo/HeartRhythmDisorders/AFlutter/index.cfm. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Sick sinus syndrome. Heart Rhythm Society. http://www.hrsonline.org/PatientInfo/HeartRhythmDisorders/SSS/index.cfm. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Mehra R, et al. Association of nocturnal arrhythmias with sleep-disordered breathing: The Sleep Heart Health Study. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2006;173:910.
- Diagnosing arrhythmias. American Heart Association. http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Arrhythmia medications. American Heart Association. http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=18. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Ablative techniques. American Heart Association. http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=6. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Brodsky MA, et al. A history of heart failure predicts arrhythmia treatment efficacy: Data from the Antiarrythmics versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Study. American Heart Journal. 2006;152:724.
- Henry L, et al. The Maze procedure: A surgical intervention for ablation of atrial fibrillation. Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care. 2008;37:432.
- Pacemaker. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pace/pace_all.html. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Arnsdorf MF, et al. General principles of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 14, 2008.
