Any diseases of the cardiovascular system should not be ignored. Even the smallest pathology can cause serious complications. A special approach requires arrhythmia. This is a condition in which the regularity or heart rate is disturbed. The pathological process can lead to the death of the patient. Therefore, it is worth knowing what should be the first aid for arrhythmia.
Description of the pathological process
The term "arrhythmia" combines several states at once. The pathological process develops when the nerve impulses that initiate heart contractions function incorrectly. In this case, the heart muscle begins to contract irregularly, the rhythm frequency changes. It can cause serious complications of cardiac arrhythmia. Symptoms, treatment, first aid - all this should be known to a person with a tendency to cardiovascular pathologies.
A mild form of arrhythmia is not dangerous. With her, a person can lead an almost full-fledged lifestyle. Sometimes the patient does not even know about his condition. The diagnosis is made at the next medical examination. A person who knows about his arrhythmia should regularly visit a cardiologist, take the prescribed drugs. In this case, the diagnosis will not pose a threat to life.
Specialists distinguish several forms of arrhythmia. If the heart rate rises to 90 beats per minute, they talk about tachycardia. This condition was once experienced by almost everyone. The heart begins to contract more intensely with excitement or the use of large quantities of coffee. A rare heartbeat (less than 60 beats per minute) is called bradycardia.
If there is a chaotic contraction of the heart muscle, they speak of atrial fibrillation. This form of the pathological process is considered the most dangerous. The disease can lead to blood clots. It is worth knowing how to provide first aid for atrial fibrillation.
Causes of Arrhythmia
Depending on the factors that provoked the development of arrhythmia, two forms of the pathological process are distinguished. The organic form of the disease develops against the background of existing heart diseases. Arrhythmia often develops due to ischemic or inflammatory damage to the heart muscle. As a result, the normal transmission of an impulse leading to rhythmic contraction is impeded. Gradually, scar tissue forms on the heart muscle, the pathological process is aggravated.
Inorganic or functional type of arrhythmia deserves special attention. The development of the disease is not associated with the cardiovascular system. The pathological process can develop due to excessive activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Arrhythmia often develops after complex bacterial infections. Chronic diseases of the thyroid gland also lead to the development of various forms of arrhythmia over time.
In the weaker sex, violations of the contraction of the heart muscle can develop against the background of hormonal disruptions. Menopausal women often suffer from pathologists. In addition to tachycardia, unpleasant symptoms such as heart pain and a feeling of suffocation can develop. In this case, first aid for arrhythmia must be correctly provided.
Against the background of chest injuries, mechanical arrhythmias may develop. If the causes of the pathological process cannot be established, they talk about the idiopathic form of the disease.
Symptoms
At the initial stage, the disease does not manifest itself at all. The patient can live with a diagnosis for a long time and learns about it only at the next medical examination. The manifestations of arrhythmia also vary depending on the form of the pathological process. As the disease develops, the patient begins to feel a malfunction in the heart. The organ either "pops out of the chest", then it is not heard at all. Against the background of bradycardia, other unpleasant symptoms develop. This is dizziness, asthenia, pallor of the skin. A person cannot lead a full-fledged lifestyle, does not cope with his daily duties. If health is rapidly deteriorating, first aid should be provided correctly for arrhythmias.
Tachycardia may be accompanied by suffocation. The heart rate in this case can reach 140-200 beats per minute. The patient is covered with cold sweat, chest pain (in the area of ​​the heart) may appear. Such attacks of arrhythmia can also lead to death. First aid should be known to every patient who has encountered such a disease.
Arrhythmia in children
In some babies, heart rhythm disturbance is a congenital pathology. Arrhythmia in pediatrics is found in all age groups. The earlier treatment is started, the more likely it is that a small patient will be able to lead a full-fledged lifestyle. The most common cause of arrhythmias in childhood is congenital heart disease. They are eliminated through surgical intervention or drug therapy.
Separate attention deserves teenage arrhythmia. The disease develops in boys and girls 12-15 years old against a background of hormonal changes. As a rule, special therapy is not required. Pathology itself goes closer to 20 years. However, parents should know what should be the first aid for arrhythmias in a child.
Diagnostics
First aid and further treatment of the pathological process will be carried out correctly only if it is possible to determine what the disease is associated with when its first signs appeared. The therapist or cardiologist may suspect the disease during the next examination. The doctor interviews the patient, clarifies whether there are obvious signs of arrhythmia. Confirm the diagnosis by instrumental studies such as an electrocardiogram, ECG monitoring.
The doctor estimates the frequency and depth of the heart rate for several minutes. However, with the help of an ECG, only persistent (persistent arrhythmias) can be detected. If the pathological process manifests itself in the patient periodically, during the examination it will not be possible to identify it.
The correct diagnosis helps to choose drugs for cardiac arrhythmias . First aid in a medical facility avoids serious complications in the future.
Clarify the degree of arrhythmia, the form of the disease helps daily monitoring of ECG. The doctor observes the work of the patient’s heart throughout the day. Additionally, a number of auxiliary diagnostic tests with a load are performed (squats, march, etc.)
First aid for arrhythmias at home
A protracted attack can lead to blood clots. In the worst cases, myocardial infarction occurs. Therefore, with a rapid deterioration in well-being, patient assistance should be provided immediately. It is necessary to worry already when the patient begins to attack panic, severe shortness of breath appears, there are interruptions in the work of the heart muscle. Indeed, cardiac arrhythmia can be dangerous. First aid at home should be provided correctly.
In some cases, an attack can end as suddenly as it started, without any manipulation. However, this does not mean that the patient does not need help. First of all, you need to call an ambulance. The doctor will be able to conduct an examination on the spot, listens to the heart. It is possible that a referral for hospitalization will be issued.
The panic attack, with which many attacks begin, only exacerbates the situation. Therefore, even before the arrival of an ambulance, the patient must be reassured. Do not show the patient that there is a threat to his health. This is especially important if the child is in the role of the patient. In some cases, changing the position from vertical to horizontal helps to normalize the work of the heart. It is recommended that the patient be laid down, to ensure an influx of fresh air into the room.
To stop arrhythmia, the challenge of the vomiting reflex will help. To do this, just try to reach the larynx with two fingers.
Patients who have long been treating arrhythmias have drugs in their medicine cabinet to normalize heart function. Only approved medicines prescribed by a specialist should be taken.
Normalize the work of the heart will help massage
Proper mechanical manipulation will help normalize well-being. Massage is especially effective if arrhythmia is observed at low pressure. First aid given at the very beginning of the attack will help to avoid dangerous complications.
You can stop arrhythmia with the help of light pressure on the patient’s eyeballs. The eyelids should be closed. Such manipulation should be carried out with extreme caution in order to avoid retinal detachment. With a panic attack, a light massage of the solar plexus will help.
With tachycardia, good results are shown by breathing exercises. On inspiration, air must be held in the lungs for a few seconds. Thanks to such actions, the oxygen concentration in the blood rises, the heart rate normalizes.
Drug therapy of the disease
How is arrhythmia treated? First aid for an attack will help to avoid dangerous complications. Further therapy can be carried out in a medical facility. The doctor chooses the technique in accordance with the type of disease, the individual characteristics of the body of a particular patient. In many cases, it is enough to cure the main pathology of the cardiovascular system to get rid of arrhythmia. In chronic diseases, maintenance therapy is performed.
In many cases of arrhythmias, special medication is required. Widely used drugs that block sodium channels. These include the funds “Quinidine”, “Aimalin”, “Trimekain”, etc. Calcium channel blockers — Diltiazem, Verapamil, can also be used. In conjunction with the use of medicines, physiotherapy is carried out. Good results are shown by pacing.
If first aid for atrial fibrillation does not show good results, the doctor may decide to have surgery. Under general anesthesia, the patient is given a pacemaker that controls the rhythm.
Treatment of arrhythmias with folk remedies
Based on simple products and plants, effective medicines can be created to eliminate dangerous pathologies of the cardiovascular system. However, any treatment technique should be discussed with your doctor. Arrhythmia of the heart can be really dangerous. Symptoms, treatment, first aid - all this should be consulted by a cardiologist when making a diagnosis.
Good results with arrhythmias show drugs based on valerian. The plant has long been famous for its soothing properties. For the treatment of heart disease, a therapeutic infusion is used. Valerian can be mixed with motherwort, viburnum and calendula in equal proportions. Two teaspoons of the infusion is poured into a glass of boiling water and insisted for an hour. Then the medicine is filtered. The resulting product must be drunk during the day. The course of therapy is 10 days.
If an arrhythmia attack occurs, what should I do? First aid can be performed using lemon balm tea. This plant also has excellent calming properties. A teaspoon of dry crushed raw materials is poured into a glass of boiling water, a little sugar is added to taste. Tea should be drunk in small sips after cooling.
Rosehip is another product that will help the heart work more efficiently. On the basis of only plucked fruits, you can prepare a medicinal decoction. About 200 g of raw material is poured with a liter of water, brought to a boil and boiled for another 20 minutes. Then the finished broth is filtered. You need to take the medicine during the day.
Treatment prognosis and possible complications
The prognosis directly depends on the type of pathology that has been encountered. Inorganic arrhythmias, as a rule, do not pose a threat to the patient’s life and are quickly eliminated with the help of medications. But atrial fibrillation can cause dangerous complications. Often after an attack, patients develop ischemic stroke, severe heart failure.
In the most difficult cases, patients encounter ventricular flutter on the background of arrhythmia. At the same time, without timely resuscitation measures, there is a serious threat to human life.
Prevention of arrhythmia is the timely treatment of any cardiological pathologies. Almost all heart diseases sooner or later are complicated by rhythm disturbance. In addition, you should avoid other factors against which arrhythmia can develop. These are severe infections, fever, trauma. Any disease requires proper and timely therapy.