Some people advocate that doctors give them complete information about their health. But if you think about it, this is not such a great idea. All of these medical terms can scare the amateur. For example, what does "sinus rhythm of the heart" mean ? Such words are not very clear to ordinary people, and the doctor gets another panicking patient.
The principles of the heart
Thanks to this organ, blood enters all the vessels of the body and provides each cell with nutrition and oxygen. The heart is the engine of the body, and this engine works continuously throughout the course of human life. It has a very complicated structure, it’s even hard to believe that nature could create such a mechanism.
It all starts with the generation of an electrical impulse by the sinoarthrial node. Following the excitation of this small group of cells, the atria contract, pushing blood into the ventricles. Then they relax. On the contrary, the ventricles contract when an electric wave reaches them, throwing blood into the arteries. All four cameras relax later. And it all starts in a circle. It is amazing how smoothly this mechanism works. Given that his work does not stop even for a second, it’s even strange how rare failures are.
An electrical signal is generated at approximately equal intervals, although normally they can and should even vary slightly. On the contrary, if this does not happen, this may indicate a depletion of reserves. This condition is called "rhythm rigidity." It can be observed with ischemia.
Sinus rhythm
What it is? What does this record mean in ECG decoding? Should I panic when I see her? In fact, the opposite is true. Such a record most often indicates the normal functioning of the heart, although it may accompany some diseases. This is what the sinus rhythm of the heart means, especially if there are no other words. You can calm down and visit a doctor only after a year, unless another need arises.
Another thing when it comes to sinus rhythm disturbances. This can be arrhythmia, attacks of tachycardia or bradycardia, as well as much more. In fact, any decoding of the ECG should be interpreted by a special doctor or at least a therapist. And then it will be clear whether there are any problems or all is well. After all, the recording "irregular sinus rhythm" for a teenager and an elderly person will not mean the same thing.
Varieties
In addition to the recording already mentioned, "vertical sinus" or "horizontal" can be written. And what can these phrases mean? Only information about how the impulse of contraction passes through the cells. The fact is that the electric wave travels along the muscle tissue in a certain direction, approximately coinciding with the anatomical axis of the heart. That is, it only speaks about the features of its location.
As a rule, people with a hypersthenic physique have a horizontal sinus rhythm, while the rest has a vertical rhythm. However, both of these options are the norm. This is just a feature.
Cardiogram
Sinus rhythm has a number of signs that are clearly visible on the ECG. Firstly, the heart rate is 60-80 beats per minute, and in newborns and children under 6 years old - up to 150. Secondly, the P wave always precedes the QRS complex. Thirdly, PQ has a constant duration within normal limits (0.12-0.20 seconds). Finally, the duration of PP or RR is also the same.
For non-specialists, a graphic display of the work of their hearts is uninformative. A simple patient may not even see serious violations, while for cardiologists this type of research can provide a lot of valuable information. So do not neglect the annual examination - the ECG can show problems in the heart even when they are still not felt and do not manifest themselves.
Violations
Like even the most accurate and reliable mechanism, the work of the heart can go wrong. Fortunately, even the smallest problems make themselves felt almost immediately. When talking about violations, it is usually meant that due to some reason, the sinus rhythm increases, decreases, or goes astray. What it is? In medical terms, these conditions are called sinus tachycardia, bradycardia, and arrhythmia, respectively. And they all mean that something is wrong with the node generating the electric pulse. With tachycardia, the sequence of all phases of the heart in the cycle is preserved, but the heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute. With bradycardia, the opposite is true - the frequency of contractions decreases to values less than 60. As for arrhythmia, periods of faster and slower heart function can alternate, and fluctuations in PP values on the ECG can exceed 10%.
Do not be immediately scared if one of these words has sounded or, for example, something like "an irregular sinus rhythm." In some cases, these disorders can have a physiological nature and do not require treatment at all, but only observation. So, so-called respiratory sinus arrhythmia is often observed - this term refers to alternating periods of a more frequent and rarer heartbeat, depending on inhalation and exhalation. This condition is characteristic of children and adolescents. Other types of sinus arrhythmias are extremely rare, more often in severe diseases, for example, with acute myocardial infarction.
Causes of occurrence
Tachycardia and bradycardia can be both pharmacological and pathological in nature. What substances can increase or decrease the heart rate? The list is quite extensive.
Tachycardia:
- epinephrine / norepinephrine;
- caffeine;
- nicotine;
- alcohol;
- atropine;
- sympathomimetics;
- aminophylline;
- glucocorticosteroids;
- thyroid hormones;
- diuretics;
- medicines to lower blood pressure.
Bradycardia:
- Verapamil;
- sympatholytics;
- quinidine;
- cardiac glycosides ;
- beta-blockers;
- morphine.
It is worth noting that some of the medicines mentioned in both lists are used in obstetrics, for example, to improve blood supply to the uterus and fetus and relieve swelling. So, getting any of these drugs, you should not worry so much if this does not cause serious inconvenience.
As for the pathological causes of violations, they are also quite frequent. Tachycardia:
- acute or chronic heart failure;
- myocardial infarction;
- severe attack of angina pectoris;
- acute myocarditis;
- hypoxemia;
- anemia;
- arterial hypotension;
- high body temperature;
- thyrotoxicosis;
- thrombus in the pulmonary artery;
- pheochromocytoma.
Bradycardia may accompany the following diseases or conditions:
- myocardial infarction;
- weak sinus syndrome;
- cardiosclerosis;
- hypothyroidism;
- infections
- increased intracranial pressure;
- hypothermia;
- intubation;
- hypercalcemia;
- hypokalemia;
- gastric and duodenal ulcer;
- uremia;
- some types of poisoning;
- Meniere's syndrome.
As you can see, the list is quite extensive, so you need to make sure that the sinus rhythm is not broken (what it is, we have already explained).
Diagnostics
In addition to the already mentioned electrocardiography, this type of research is often used, such as ultrasound or ultrasound of the heart. It can also be informative and can reveal a lot of interesting things. However, unfortunately, it will say almost nothing about violations in the work of the sinus node, except only for concomitant diseases. In any case, the diagnosis of "sinus rhythm disturbance" is made solely on the basis of ECG data.
Treatment and control
If the nature of the conditions is pharmacological, to improve the situation, the influence of the aforementioned substances on the work of the heart should be excluded. If we are talking about any pathological condition, tachycardia or bradycardia are only symptoms. The treatment in this case will be directed to the underlying disease, after the improvement of the situation, the discomfort associated with the heart rhythm will also disappear.
By the way, at any time you can control the operation of the "motor" yourself, but it is better to do it in the morning. It is only necessary to calculate the number of pulse beats per minute and compare it with the standard. A result within 60-80 is considered completely normal, we can say that this is a sinus rhythm. What it is is now clear.