The term "heart rhythm disturbances" is understood as arrhythmias and heart blockages. Arrhythmias are violations of frequency, regularity and consistency of cardiac contractions. With long stops of breathing, cardiac blockades (cardiac arrest) can develop, and the duration of cardiac arrest can reach 8-10 seconds. That is, blockade of the heart is the deterioration or complete loss of the ability of a particular part of the myocardium (cardiac muscle) to carry out excitement.
The activity of the heart is possible only because it has its own "brain" inside it that regulates the heart rate. This is a sinus node. It has the ability to rhythmically generate electrical impulses, which, like circles from a stone thrown into the water, spread through the myocardium of the atria and ventricles, causing their contraction. Sinus node, which sets the rhythm of the whole heart, is called, respectively, the driver of the rhythm. And although almost any cell of the myocardium is able to generate electrical impulses on its own, the electrical activity of the sinus node normally normalizes the activity of all other cells in the heart.
If the work of the sinus node is disrupted, new sources of electrical impulses may appear in different parts of the cardiac muscle (myocardium), which compete with the sinus node or even suppress its activity. The activation wave itself can also be blocked by the heart. All these unpleasant and unwholesome phenomena are accompanied by cardiac rhythm disturbances - arrhythmias, and in the worst case - heart blockages.
Heart blockages can occur in atherosclerosis, angina, myocarditis, cardiosclerosis, myocardial infarction, as well as overdose or improper use of certain drugs.
In some cases, heart blockages can be caused by a hereditary predisposition. What happens in this case? Blockades of the heart are classified either by the part of the heart in which the signal does not pass, or by the severity, by the strength of the blockade. By the extent to which the blockade is developed:
1. blockade of the I degree, i.e. Impulses are conducted with a significant delay;
2. blockade of the II degree - incomplete, i.e. Part of the impulses are not carried out at all, the blockade of the third degree is complete, i.e. Impulses are not carried out at all. With complete blockade of the heart, the frequency of ventricular contractions can drop to 30 per minute and lower (and the normal frequency in an adult at rest is 60-80 reductions per minute). If the interval between contractions reaches a few seconds, then loss of consciousness ("cardiac fainting"), a person pales, convulsions may begin - these are symptoms of the so-called attack of Morgagni-Adams-Stokes), the result of which can be fatal.
All blockades can be persistent (there are always) and transitory (occur only at some moments), and very rarely a congenital complete transverse blockage occurs.
Cardiac blockades are dangerous for their consequences, even to the point of death, so if you suffer from arrhythmias - do not bring your heart to a state of cardiac blockade - contact a cardiologist and go for a complete examination. It may also be necessary to consult an arrhythmologist.
A conventional electrocardiogram allows you to evaluate the contractions of the heart only at the time of the study, while heart blockages can occur periodically. Therefore, the so-called Holter monitoring and the treadmill test are used to detect transient blockades. To clarify the diagnosis, a cardiologist can also prescribe echocardiography.
When an attack of Morgan-Adams-Stokes occurs, it is necessary to pack and call an ambulance. Most blockades can be overcome with the use of permanent medicines. However, complete blockade is an indication for the implantation of an artificial pacemaker, the use of temporary or permanent ventricular electrostimulation.
Since some medicines used to treat heart diseases contribute to blockade, it is necessary to strictly follow the prescribed dosage and time of taking medications, and also to coordinate with a cardiologist medications prescribed by other doctors.
