A heart arrhythmia (uh-RITH-me-uh) is an irregular heartbeat. A heart arrhythmia occurs when the electrical signals that tell the heart to beat don't work properly. The heart may beat too fast or too slow.

Context Explanation

Or the pattern of the heartbeat may be inconsistent. A heart arrhythmia may feel like a fluttering, pounding or racing heartbeat. Some heart arrhythmias are harmless. Others may cause life ...

Insight Material

Heart arrhythmia treatment is usually only needed if the irregular heartbeat causes significant symptoms or puts you at risk of more-serious heart problems. Treatment for heart arrhythmias may include medicines, special actions called vagal maneuvers, procedures or surgery. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm. An irregular heart rhythm is called an arrhythmia. AFib can lead to blood clots in the heart.

Final Conclusion

The condition also increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. Heart arrhythmia treatment can often control or eliminate fast, slow or irregular heartbeats. In addition, because troublesome heart arrhythmias are often made worse — or are even caused — by a weak or damaged heart, you may be able to reduce your arrhythmia risk by adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle. What's a normal heartbeat? Heart arrhythmia care at Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic doctors trained in heart and blood vessel conditions (cardiologists), heart rhythm conditions (electrophysiologists), heart and blood vessel surgery (cardiovascular surgeons), and other areas collaborate as a multidisciplinary team to provide the most appropriate care for people with arrhythmia and other heart conditions. Ventricular tachycardia is a type of irregular heartbeat, called an arrhythmia.

It starts in the lower chambers of the heart, called the ventricles. This condition also may be called V-tach or VT. A healthy heart typically beats about 60 to 100 times a minute at rest. In ventricular tachycardia, the heart beats faster, usually 100 or more beats a minute.