Atrial pacemaker migration is a type of cardiac arrhythmia. Arrhythmia in medicine is called a violation of the heartbeat, which can be expressed in increased heart rate, acceleration or deceleration of heart sounds, or in the irregular patterns observed in the lower chambers of the heart.
Some types of arrhythmias are recognized as serious conditions that require medical attention, others are very common and, as a rule, do not cause cause for concern. In most cases, episodes of atrial pacemaker migration do not require medical attention, but if the patient’s unusual heartbeat causes excitement, he should consult a doctor to confirm the condition is safe.
Blood flow mechanism
The heart consists of two upper chambers (right and left atria) and two lower chambers (respectively, right and left ventricles). Blood flows through a strictly defined route through all chambers to ensure the normal circulation of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
First, blood with a minimum amount of oxygen flows from various parts of the body into the right atrium, then flows into the right ventricle and is pumped into the lungs. As soon as she takes vital oxygen from her lungs, blood flows into the left atrium, and then into the left ventricle. After that, oxygenated blood enters all other internal organs and parts of the body.
The role of electrical impulses
To distill blood between chambers, the heart muscle needs to contract. In other words, the atria and ventricles contract to ensure normal blood flow through the heart and the entire body.
These contractions are controlled by electrical impulses coming from special cells that can conduct current and send signals to other cells. They cause the cameras to contract, following a certain rhythm and frequency, thus ensuring healthy blood flow.
Sinoatrial node
The term “atrial pacemaker migration” is closely related to the functioning of a group of cells located on top of the right atrium. These cells are called the sinoatrial (sinus) node and are responsible for controlling the frequency and rhythm of the electrical impulses of the heart. For this reason, the sinus node is also called the natural pacemaker. It is thanks to him that heart contractions are initiated, following a certain rhythm and frequency.
Atrioventricular node
The sinoatrial node does not function by itself - a variety of biological mechanisms contribute to its work. So, electrical impulses from this group of cells enter the atrioventricular (atrioventricular) node, located a little deeper in the heart. It transmits signals further, ensuring their entry into the heart, and thus preserves synchronous contractions of the heart muscle.
Atrial pacemaker migration
In a child or adult, specific arrhythmia may occur, in which control of the electrical heart pulses passes from the sinoatrial to the atrioventricular node.
Atrial pacemaker migration occurs at any time, regardless of the activity that a person is currently engaged in. With a comprehensive diagnosis, arrhythmia is recorded both during sports training and during night sleep.
As a rule, its presence almost never gives cause for concern. In some cases, slight disturbances in the heartbeat are observed, but sometimes even such signs of pathology are absent. A person simply does not notice when he has a pacemaker migrating through the atria.
Risk factors
This type of arrhythmia is diagnosed in people of all ages, but most often it is observed in elderly patients and young children. Migration is also often found among professional athletes and those who support their body in excellent physical shape. The causes of the anomaly remain unknown.
In most cases, doctors cannot unambiguously answer what caused the migration of the pacemaker to the atria. Under specific circumstances, that is, rarely enough, this disorder appears after an overdose of cardiac glycosides used to treat certain cardiac diseases.
Diagnostics
The typical migration of the pacemaker through the atria to the ECG (electrocardiogram) becomes especially apparent. An ECG scan result is like a series of waves. The top of the wave indicates the contraction of the right atrium caused by the sinoatrial node. If the diagram shows irregularity of such waves (changes in shape, size and location), then the doctor makes the diagnosis "atrial pacemaker migration".
Multifocal atrial tachycardia
If you suspect that you have arrhythmia, make an appointment with your doctor to rule out a more severe diagnosis of multifocal (chaotic) atrial tachycardia as soon as possible. This violation is largely similar to the problem described in our article, however, with this type of arrhythmia, the heart nodes initiate electrical impulses simultaneously. As a result of abnormal function, the heartbeat accelerates. Multifocal atrial tachycardia is potentially dangerous and requires timely treatment.