Most people will experience cardiac arrhythmia at some point in their life. In many of these cases, arrhythmia is usually harmless and does not require treatment. In others, however, cardiac arrhythmia can be serious or even life threatening. People living with chronic or persistent cardiac arrhythmia are at an increased risk of blood clots, stroke, heart attack, and even sudden death.
One thing you shouldn’t worry about is what could happen if there’s an emergency. MedicAlert’s protection plans offer benefits that extend beyond the ID, providing safety and peace of mind for people living with cardiac arrhythmia, their families and caregivers.
Our team provides first responders the information they need to provide fast, accurate care.
All your vital information, all in one place for you and your caregiver.
In an emergency, we connect families so that no one is alone in a crisis.
Share the information that’s important to your care, such as use of rescue medications or contraindication for tests like MRIs.
Pair a medical ID for cardiac arrhythmia with the protection plan that’s right for you.
Cardiac arrhythmia is a term used to describe an irregular heartbeat. In a person who is experiencing an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or in an erratic pattern. A fast heart rate in adults is more than 100 beats per minute. A slow heart rate is less than 60 beats per minute.
For the heart to function properly, its four chambers must beat in harmony. The four chambers include the right atrium (RA)—located in the upper right corner of the heart, the right ventricle(RV)—located in the lower right portion of the heart, the left atrium(LA)—located in the upper left corner of the heart, and the left ventricle (LV)—located in the bottom left portion of the heart.
The atria receive blood from the veins and deliver it to the ventricles. The ventricles pump blood out of the heart and to the body and the lungs. The atria and ventricles work in unison to keep this process running smoothly. Cardiac arrhythmia interrupts this process. When this happens, the heart cannot pump blood effectively, which can affect the functioning of the brain, lungs, and other organs of the body.
Different types of arrhythmias cause different types of beat patterns in the heart. The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib). It is estimated that approximately 5% of the U.S. population has an arrhythmia. Of this, an estimated 2.7 to 6.1 million people have AFib, and roughly 800,000 of these cases are in Americans under age 40. Exactly how many children and teens are living with an arrhythmia or AFib is unknown. Some studies estimate that 1 per 25,000 children have some form of arrhythmia. While other estimates are as high as 1 per 250 children.
The American Heart Association (AHA) lists the following types of arrhythmias in children:
Help others help you. Wear a medical alert ID bracelet or necklace engraved with important information for emergency responders and healthcare providers
Cardiac arrhythmia has many different causes. Examples include:
Although studies are conflicting, some researchers believe that caffeine and nicotine, excessive alcohol consumption, and high levels of stress can cause irregular, premature, or rapid heartbeats.
MedicAlert offers free custom engraving on all our cardiac arrhythmia bracelets or other medical ID products. Engravings on medical IDs for cardiac arrhythmia should include any critical medical information that can protect and save lives in an accident or medical emergency, for example:
Sample engraving. Consult our team if you need help engraving your medical ID for cardiac arrhythmia.
There are many tests that can be used to diagnose cardiac arrhythmia in both adults and children. Some tests are administered in a doctor’s office or hospital, while others can be done at home. The type of test your doctor administers will depend on which type of arrhythmia is suspected. This can be assessed through questions about your symptoms, family history, and a physical exam.
Examples of in office diagnostic tests for cardiac arrhythmia include:
Tests that can be done at home include:
Implantable loop recorder, inserted under the skin, worn for months to years.
Cardiac arrhythmia can be treated and managed with medications, special therapies, implantable devices, surgery, and lifestyle changes. The type of treatment will depend on the type of arrhythmia. For example, people living with AFib may take blood thinners, while people with tachycardia may take beta blockers. In people living with less serious arrhythmias, special therapies such as vagal maneuvers (holding your breath and straining or dunking your head in cold water) or cardio conversion (resetting the heart rhythm through low-energy shocks), can be effective.
Types of implantable devices for cardiac arrhythmias include a pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Surgeries include coronary bypass surgery, open-heart surgery, catheter ablation, and the maze procedure. These types of surgeries and procedures are usually reserved for people who do not get better with other treatments.
Certain lifestyle changes may help treat and prevent cardiac arrhythmia. Examples include:
A MedicAlert ID and protection plan can play an important role in managing your health and keeping you safe while living with cardiac arrhythmia—especially in a medical emergency. A MedicAlert ID and protection plan can be there for you when you are unable to communicate critical information about your condition to first responders, ER doctors, and hospital staff in an emergency.
Sources: American Heart Association (AHA); Cleveland Clinic; Johns Hopkins Medicine; Mayo Clinic; MedlinePlus (National Institutes of Health (NIH)-National Library of Medicine (NLM); National Health System (NHS); NIH NLM-National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI); Nemours Kids Health; Penn Medicine; University Hospital Newark
