When should I worry about an irregular heart rhythm?

An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. Sometimes an irregular heartbeat is normal and the rhythm will go back to normal quickly.

But sometimes, an irregular heart rhythm can make your heart unable to pump enough blood to the brain and other organs, causing serious, even life-threatening conditions.

Serious symptoms of irregular heart rhythm

Talk to your doctor about it or call 911 to seek immediate medical care if you notice any of these things about your irregular heartbeat:

• Happens often or for no apparent reason
• Fast heartbeat when you are at rest (more than 100 beats per minute)
• Slow heartbeat (fewer than 60 beats per minute)
• Heart palpitations where the heart skips a beat or beats too hard or fast
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Weakness, dizziness and light-headedness
• Loss of consciousness, blackouts or fainting

Frequently asked questions about an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)

What is an arrhythmia?

There are different kinds of arrhythmia. Definition of arrhythmia is based on its speed or regularity. A heart arrhythmia can be a fast heartbeat, a slow heartbeat, or skipping a beat or adding a beat so the heart rate alternates between slow and fast.

You may be more likely to notice an irregular heartbeat at night. Or your doctor may discover it during a regular checkup.

Can stress or anxiety cause an irregular heartbeat?

Stress, excitement and other strong emotions can sometimes cause an irregular heartbeat.

Other things that can cause a cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) are alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, exercise, air pollution or recreational drugs.

Can an irregular heartbeat go back to normal?

Sometimes a heart arrhythmia goes back to normal. However, some kinds of arrhythmias need medical treatment, so it’s best to let your doctor know if you have any concerns.

How do you fix an irregular heartbeat?

The best treatment for a cardiac arrhythmia depends on your diagnosis. Irregular heart rhythms can be caused by serious heart diseases such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), heart failure, cardiomyopathy or coronary artery disease.

Medications help some conditions. Other conditions require surgery, procedures to improve blood flow, or the use of devices such as pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Your Aurora doctor will work with you to develop a diagnosis and find the best treatment for your irregular heartbeat.

Are you at risk for heart disease?

Knowing your risk factors of heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – can help you lower your chances of developing it. Our heart health quiz estimates your risk, determines which of your risk factors are controllable and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

Take the heart health quiz