Arrhythmia Types

Occasionally your heart skips a beat, beats rapidly or flutters. This is often a random, momentary glitch. But it can also represent an irregular heart rhythm, a condition called arrhythmia.

Arrhythmias are fairly common, especially as you age. Many are not worrisome. But others can cause symptoms and interfere with your daily activities. Some can even trigger stroke or the sudden loss of heart function, known as cardiac arrest. Arrhythmias are the leading cause of sudden cardiac death, with 400,000 victims a year.

There are three types of arrhythmias, based on how the heart is beating:

• Too slowly (bradycardia): less than 60 beats per minute
• Too rapidly (tachycardia): more than 100 beats per minute
• Erratically (fibrillation)

Our electrophysiology team treats the full spectrum of arrhythmias, including those that are less common or less likely to cause serious problems — though complications are still possible from some if left untreated. These include: