Heart arrhythmia
Heart arrhythmias are disruptions in a regular heart rhythm, which can include slow, irregular or fast heart beats. They occur when the electrical impulses to the heart stray from their normal sequence and can range from being harmless to life-threatening.
Cardiologists in Austin, Texas
If you're experiencing irregular heart beats, we're here to help.
The expert cardiologists at St. David's HealthCare offer high-quality diagnostics and personalized treatments. If you're living with a heart arrhythmia, we customize your care to help you manage your condition as much as possible.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Conditions we treat
We treat different types of arrhythmias, including:
- Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
- Atrial flutter
- Premature atrial contractions
- Premature ventricular complex (PVC)
- Paroxysmal SVT
- Sick sinus syndrome
- Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
- Ventricular tachycardia
- Ventricular fibrillation
Services we offer
We customize your care to help you manage your condition as much as possible.
Understanding heart arrhythmias
Your heartbeat is coordinated by electrical signals sent to your heart. When your heart's electrical system does not function properly, your heart rhythm can become too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia) or irregular. This irregular heartbeat is referred to as a heart arrhythmia.
Although some heart arrhythmias may be harmless, others can lead to dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath and even a heart attack or stroke. It may also be a sign of underlying heart disease.
AFib risks and symptoms
The most common type of heart arrhythmia is AFib. There are a few potential causes of AFib, including environmental, behavioral and genetic factors. It is often found in people who experience atherosclerosis, angina (chest pain), hypertension or lung conditions. AFib is also commonly associated with heart failure and related conditions.
AFib can be asymptomatic, though you may experience the following symptoms:
- Difficulty exercising
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
- Fatigue or weakness
- Irregular or rapid pulse or heart beat
- Pain or pressure in the chest
- Palpitations or a pounding feeling in the chest
- Racing feeling in the chest
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
Diagnosing heart arrhythmias
To accurately diagnose your condition, our doctors conduct one or more tests and imaging exams, such as:
- Cardiac stress tests
- Echocardiograms
- Electrocardiograms (EKGs)
- Holter monitors
- Implantable loop recorders
Treatments for heart rhythm disorders
Depending on your type of irregular heartbeat, our cardiac specialists may suggest the following treatments:
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation
- Pacemaker implantation
- Radiofrequency ablation
For more information about our heart arrhythmia services, call (512) 544-7111.
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