Diagnosing Arrhythmias

Concerned that you may have an irregular heartbeat? The heartbeat varies depending on activity, but sometimes even when we are sedentary, we may notice a hitch in our heartbeat. It could mean a mild heart palpitation from too much caffeine or it could mean life-threatening fibrillations that result from malfunctions in the heart. In 2007 a Medtronic recall was announced for the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis heart leads. This recall affects patients who had the leads implanted and involves the risk of the leads fracturing which can cause unnecessary shocks or not receiving a needed electrical shock when the defibrillator detects an abnormality.

Sometimes you can feel your heart beat quickly or even skip a beat, but some arrhythmias have more subtle symptoms. Because the heart pumps blood and oxygen to all parts of the body, when the pumping function is not efficient, you may feel short of breath, weak, dizzy or faint.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately. He or she can perform a variety of tests to determine how your heart is functioning.

In general, there are two types of tests. The passive test monitors the general heart activity, while the active test looks at the heart when it is harder at work.

Among the passive tests, the electrocardiogram and echocardiogram take snapshots of your heart of a period of time. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) use electrodes taped to the skin to record electrical activity. The echocardiogram, or echo, uses sound waves technology to bounce back pictures of the heart. If the doctor needs a test that monitors the heart for a longer period of time, from a few hours to a few weeks, the patient can use a portable monitor, or even an implantable one.

Some symptoms, however, don’t always show up when you’re at rest in the doctor’s office. That’s why doctors also use active tests, such as a stress test or tilt test.

A stress test measures the heart function when it is working hard, which is when some heart conditions symptoms arise. Patients may walk on a treadmill or ride on an exercise bike while being monitored by an electrocardiogram.

A tilt test (or tilt table test) recognizes that some heart problems establish themselves when a person is getting up from prone position, such as getting out of bed, and so it simulates that action while monitoring the heart rate and blood pressure.

If you are diagnosed with an arrhythmia, the particular type that you have, your current health, family history and lifestyle will help determine the course of treatment. Some people may be treated with medication, diet or exercise. The most serious arrhythmias may require a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator to ensure the heart maintains a safe and steady beat. If you have suffered from a Medtronic lead fracture involving a Sprint Fidelis lead you may have important legal rights and should consider your legal options.

About the Author:

David Whitney is the author of this article on Medtronic recall infusion. Find more information about Medtronic recall here.