On this page we look at the typical range of symptoms that our patients who have cardiac arrhythmia come to see us about.
The Birmingham Heart Rhythm Group’s consultant cardiologists have expert knowledge of the heart and the symptoms and causes of cardiac arrhythmia.
The symptoms of cardiac arrhythmia include: skipped heart beats, blackouts (which can be caused by very fast or very slow heart rates), and heart palpitations, all of which may suggest that there is an underlying heart rhythm disturbance.
The main types of cardiac arrhythmia that we treat include: atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, superventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation.
For more details on these symptoms and types of cardiac arrhythmia, just scroll down.
For general queries about our services, please click here and we will respond within 72 hours. To arrange a consultation, you will need to be referred to us by your GP.
Symptoms
Skipped Heart Beats
Skipped or missed heart beats are a common complaint and represent one of the causes of palpitations. Usually these are caused by an extra heart beat called an extrasystole.
Blackouts
In some cases a very rapid heart rate or a very slow heart rate can cause a loss of consciousness because in either case the heart is unable to deliver enough blood flow to the brain.
Palpitations
Palpitations are a sensation of the heart beating fast in the chest and may suggest that there is an underlying heart rhythm disturbance.
Heart Rhythm Problems
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation, sometimes referred to as AF, is a specific heart rhythm disturbance that is caused by chaotic electrical activity in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart.
Atrial Flutter
This rhythm is closely related to atrial fibrillation and can carry the same increase in stroke risk. However, in contrast to the chaotic activity in AF, flutter is caused by a single short circuit usually in the top right chamber of the heart.
Supra Ventricular Tachycardia
SVT is a rhythm disturbance that originates from the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) and is responsible for palpitations. It is usually caused by an extra bit of heart muscle that acts as a conducting circuit within the heart.
Ventricular Tachycardia
VT is a rhythm disturbance that originates from the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles). This rhythm disturbance is usually caused by some underlying heart disease such as previous heart attacks, heart failure or inherited heart conditions.
