Definition
Abnormality of cardiac rhythm is cardiac arrhythmia
1-bradycardia means heart rate less than 60 beats per minute
2- Tachycardia means heart rate more than 100 beats per minute.
Bradycardia
It may be sinus bradycardia or pathological bradycardia
Sinus bradycardia
Heart rate is 60 beats per minute and is usually asymptomatic .it causes include hypothermia, hypothyroidism, B-Blockers and digitalis, increased intracranial pressure, degeneration and fibrosis of atrium and sinus node.
Pathological bradycardia
It may be due to sinus node disease and atrioventricular block or atrioventricular conduction disturbance
Treatment
No treatment in asymptomatic cases. In sinus bradycardia atropine or beta one agonist is indicated.
Tachycardia
It may be sinus tachycardia or pathological tachycardia.
Sinus tachycardia
Heart rate is more than 100 beats per minute is sinus rhythm can be caused by fever, exercise, emotions, pregnancy, anemia, thyrotoxicosis, and increased catecholamine.
Pathological tachycardia
It may be supraventricular tachycardia, junctional tachycardia, and
ventricular tachycardia.
A) Supraventricular tachycardia
It may be
Atrial ectopic beat
Atrial tachycardia
Atrial flutter
Atrial fibrillation
b) Junctional tachycardia
There are two variants
Intra AV nodal re entry tachycardia
Atrioventricular tachycardia
c) Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular premature beat
Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular fibrillation
Torsades de point
Treatment
Anti arrhythmic agents
Pacemaker implantation
Surgery may be required to clip up the focus of arrhythmia