Pediatric Cardiac Arrhythmias Specialist in Wichita, KS
An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. Some common arrhythmias are:
Sinus Bradycardia
This is simply a slow heart rate.
Sinus tachycardia
This is simply a fast heart rate. Make occur with fever, excitement, and exercise.
Long Q-T Syndrome
Many times, there are no symptoms, but it can cause fainting. It can cause sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest in rare cases.
Premature atrial contraction and premature ventricular contraction
These are abnormal beats that are often considered normal and harmless
Supraventricular tachycardia
An abnormal electrical circuit can cause rapid heart rates. Treatment may be needed if the rapid heart rate is sustained for a long period of time or occurs often.
Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) Pattern/Syndrome
An additional pathway exists between the top and bottom chambers of the heart. This can allow electricity to pass outside of the normal pathway. Some children will have a fast heart rate and others will not have any symptoms. Rarely, sudden cardiac death may occur.
Ventricular tachycardia
Fast electrical signals that originate in the ventricles rather than the atria. VT can be caused by heat disease, heart surgeries or genetic conditions. A child may feel weak, tired, and dizzy. VT can cause a child to faint (syncope). In some cases, the child may also be able to feel their heartbeat (palpitations).
Arrhythmias can be asymptomatic in some children, but the most common symptoms are:
- Feeling weak and tired
- Heart fluttering and/or heart palpitations
- Low blood pressure
- Dizziness
- Fainting (syncope)
Diagnosis and Management:
Children with a suspected arrhythmia may need the following testing:
- Electrocardiogram
- Stress test
- Holter monitoring
- Electrophysiologic study
Arrhythmias can be treated in several different ways including:
- Medicines
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Surgery
- Pacemaker
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
- Electrical cardioversion