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Cardiac Arrhythmias

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Common Characteristics of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Under normal, healthy conditions the human heart beats 60 to 100 times a minute. In the course of a day, the heart pumps an equivalent of 2,000 gallons of blood, carrying essential oxygen and other nutrients to all of the body's cells. Ultimately, the brain coordinates this complex process, but the heart also has its own semi-independent power station. Most of this electrical activity is carried out by pacemaker cells located in the upper right-hand portion of the heart muscle known as the sinus node. From the sinus node, beat impulses are relayed to other areas of the heart via special groups of interlocking relay cells.

To have a properly functioning heart, all four of the heart's chambers must receive the beat signal in the proper sequence. The chambers are divided into the right atrium and ventricle and the left atrium and ventricle. The pair on the right side of the heart pumps oxygen-depleted blood coming back from the rest of the body into the lungs for fresh oxygen. The pair on the left side moves freshly oxygenated blood returning from the lungs to the many organs of the body.

Many factors affect the heart rate, or the number of heartbeats per minute. The rate goes up when we exercise or are emotionally aroused, and goes down when we rest or sleep. Irregularities, however, also can …show more content…

Since such beats occur just before the "true" heartbeat, they are known as atrial premature beats. Commonly associated with the heavy use of tobacco, alcohol and coffee, these beats disappear once the stimulants are removed. However, when they are accompanied by palpitation, fluttering in the chest, rapid heartbeat, dizziness or shortness of breath, they may indicate underlying heart disease. In such cases, treatment with drugs may be

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