Etiology and Epidemiology of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Cardiac Arrhythmias

Etiology and epidemiology of cardiac arrhythmiasc

Comment by Sabina:

Etiology and epidemiology of cardiac arrhythmias

In chapter 2 I will be discussing the etiology and epidemiology of cardiac arrhythmias. I will discuss some of the causes of this disease, discuss what is cardiac arrhythmias, risk factors associated with the disease and who is at risk for cardiac arrhythmias. I will address some of the themes and key ideas that will be presented in the chapter.

What is cardiac arrhythmias?

Cardiac arrhythmias are an irregular heartbeat of the heart. During an arrhythmia the heart could beat too slow, too fast or just irregular. There are many different types of cardiac arrhythmias, however the two main types are; atrial fibrillation and a life threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia, it involves a dysfunction of the two upper chambers of the heart. Cardiac arrhythmias can be observed simply by taking the patients pulse, which would indicate there is an irregular heartbeat. In the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias this could be very catastrophic; there is ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia.

What causes cardiac arrhythmias? (Etiology)

There are many causes of cardiac arrhythmias, including coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, injury of the heart from a previous heart attack, changes in the heart muscle, electrolyte imbalance in your blood, and trauma from heart surgery. There are many things in our daily lives that can lead to cardiac arrhythmias directly and indirectly. Blockage of the arteries is usually caused by plaque buildup in the body, which can be caused by high cholesterol. High cholesterol is usually a combination of genetic factors, lack of good diet and exercise. There are many other risk factors including diabetes, drug use, overactive thyroid gland, smoking, stress, dietary supplements and herbal supplements. High blood pressure, consumption of excessive alcohol and electric shock are also risk factors for cardiac arrhythmias.

Risk factors associated with cardiac arrhythmias

One of the biggest risk factors associated with cardiac arrhythmias is it not being diagnosed properly in an emergency situation. Often when there is an emergency, patients arrive at the hospital, there is little time for an accurate diagnosis, and there is not a qualified, experienced cardiologist available to make the right diagnosis (Stellbrink, 2010).

About 50% of the patients experience sudden death as a result of cardiac disease (Jaeger, 2010). Many of the patients who have cardiac disease are never diagnosed prior to their first cardiac incident. There are risks of permanent heart disease and life-long lifestyle changes that are associated with cardiac diseases.

Who are at risk for cardiac arrhythmias? (Epidemiology)

Patients with diabetes who are on dialysis are at high risk for death related to cardiac arrhythmia. Approximately 26% of patients who receive dialysis die from cardiac arrhythmia (Voroneanu & Covic, 2009). Patients with hypertension are also associated with cardiac arrhythmias (Liu et. al., 2011). Patients with congenital heart disease have a high risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias (Cardiology in the Young, 2008). Patients being treated for congenital heart disease have a high risk of being impacted by cardiac arrhythmias. Children who have cardiac pathology and are on medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and are taking medication are at risk for cardiac arrhythmias (Elia & Vetter, 2010).

Reference

Elia, J. & Vetter, V.L. (2010). Cardiovascular Effects of Medications for the Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Pediatric Drugs. vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 165-175.