The heart rate of a person, called briefly the pulse, can be very different. Infectious diseases usually speed up the pulse, the state of sleep slows down. But normally, in an adult, it should be rhythmic and be in the range of 60-100 beats per minute. Another heart rate would be called tachycardia or bradycardia.
Healers of the East have been diagnosing a person's condition and determining his diseases by pulse since ancient times, while distinguishing a variety of shades and sounds of the human heartbeat, and not just its frequency, which depends on so many factors. The purpose of the article is to understand how bradycardia differs from tachycardia.
Features of the structure of the human heart
First, consider the structure of the human heart. The heart is the central organ of the cardiovascular system. Provides itsrhythmic contractions of the blood circulation in the body. It is a hollow muscular organ divided into four chambers: the right and left atria and the right and left ventricles. Both the atria and the ventricles are separated from each other by septa. The atria are cavities that receive blood from the veins and push it into the ventricles, which eject it into the arteries. The right one goes to the pulmonary artery, the left one goes to the aorta. So the blood enters the two circles of blood circulation at once. The right and left chambers do not communicate with each other, and the atria and ventricles are connected by valves. Valves determine the direction of blood flow in the heart: from the veins to the atria, from the atria to the ventricles, from the ventricles to the large blood vessels.
All painful changes in the valves (rheumatic or other origin) disrupt the proper functioning of the heart and the whole body. When listening to the heart, the closing of the valves and the contraction of its 4 chambers are perceived as heart sounds. In case of valve disease, instead of tones or along with them, noises are heard due to the narrowing of their holes.
The heart muscle is pierced by a large number of sensory nerves. Which regulate cardiac activity, but also cause severe pain in case of any violation of blood supply.
What is cardiac arrhythmia, its types
Arrhythmia (Greek arrythmia - rhythm disturbance) is commonly called a violation of the normal rhythm of the heartbeat. Types of arrhythmia: asystole, extrasystole, bradycardia and tachycardia.
Bradycardia (Greek bradis -slow + kardia - heart) - slow heart rate, less than 50 beats per minute.
Tachycardia (Greek tachys - fast + kardia - heart) - rapid heart rate. The frequency of contractions is from 100 to 180 beats per minute. Thus, tachycardia and bradycardia are two opposite states of the heart in terms of the number of heartbeats.
Asystole (Greek a - not + systolie - contraction) - a sharp weakening of the heart muscle, causing a decline in heart activity.
Extrasystole (Greek extra - over + systolie - contraction) - the occurrence of an extraordinary heartbeat or skipping another beat.
What determines the heart rate
It is generally accepted that a person's heart rate directly depends on physical activity or effects on the nervous system.
The heart muscle has the property of automatism, that is, its contractions are involuntary and do not stop throughout life for a single minute. Its activity, frequency and strength of contractions are regulated by the central nervous system (depending on the needs of the body) through two nerves: vagus and sympathetic. The first slows down the heart rate and weakens their strength. And sympathetic, on the contrary, speeds up its contractions and increases their strength. What are the main differences between tachycardia and bradycardia. Contractions of the muscles of the right and left halves of the heart occur simultaneously. But at first, this action is performed by the muscles of the atria, and the ventricles relax. And then both ventricles contract. Strictthe sequence of contractions of the parts of the heart is due to a special excitation-conducting system of the heart. This is the so-called bundle of His. Disruption of this conduction system causes severe dysfunction of the heart.
In he althy people, heart contractions do not cause any subjective sensations. And rhythm disturbances can appear only with significant physical stress (mainly in untrained individuals) or with strong emotional experiences (fear, fright, anger, etc.). In some cardiovascular diseases, arrhythmias can occur even with minor exertion. It all depends on the state of the heart and blood vessels.
Can multiple arrhythmias occur at the same time
Whether tachycardia and bradycardia can occur at the same time sounds like a joke to the uninformed in medicine. However, such states of cardiac activity are quite possible. If the elderly begin to develop a reduction in the number of active cells at the conduction node (sinus) due to fibrosis, then this leads to bradycardia. But fibrosis also affects other heart tissues, especially the atria, causing them to flutter (called atrial fibrillation). As a result, older people can suffer from both rapid heart rate (tachycardia) and heart weakness (bradycardia) at the same time. This is the so-called sick sinus syndrome, or bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome. His treatment is quite serious. A dangerous consequence of this syndrome is considered to be prolonged dizziness and even loss of consciousness during cardiac arrest, even short-term. Fainting is very dangerous, especially in the elderly.people, because they can lead to falls, which means fractures and other injuries.
Comparison of various arrhythmias
No illness pleases, so it's hard to say which is worse - tachycardia or bradycardia.
Chronic arrhythmias indicate problems in the heart, the need to see a doctor and undergo treatment. Some people tolerate bradycardia really well, while for others it is life changing. A small tachycardia is simply not noticed by people.
But there are times when a decrease in heart rate only means that a person is young and well trained, his blood vessels are well developed, and forty beats per minute (and sometimes even thirty) is enough to make the body perfectly supplied with blood - functioned normally.
Age-related arrhythmias and pacemakers
Usually, "senile" doctors call such heart diseases as angina pectoris, ischemia, atrial fibrillation and others associated with tissue degeneration, decreased motor activity, including due to concomitant diseases. Most of these people who have tachycardia and / or bradycardia have had infectious diseases or have cardiovascular, endocrine and other diseases.
If disturbances in the work of the sinus node become chronic, associated with the aging of the body and cannot be treated, the situation can be corrected by an "artificial pacemaker", or, more simply, a pacemaker. Sometimes it is much more effective than medicationtreatment as it prevents fainting.
Children's arrhythmias
A child may have the same numerous heart rhythm disturbances as an adult: tachycardia and bradycardia simultaneously or separately, extrasystole, blockade and others. It is necessary to know that he althy children also have periods when the heart rhythm can be disturbed.
The most dangerous periods are:
- newborns;
- 4 to 5 years;
- 7 to 8 years;
-from 12 to 14 years old.
Causes of rhythm disturbances in children can be both congenital anomalies and diseases that are infectious in the first place (diphtheria, bronchitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, intestinal infections, etc.).
The heart rate in children of different ages is different: in newborns - 140 beats per minute, in one-year-olds - 120, in five-year-olds - 100, in ten-year-olds - 90. In adolescents - 60-80 beats per minute.
Adolescent cardiac arrhythmias
In adolescence, when there is a jerky, uneven development of various organs and systems, many people develop arrhythmia (every second teenager). But usually there is no he alth hazard. Adolescents do not feel it, usually it does not interfere with them and is detected only during a routine examination. And the arrhythmia (usually bradycardia) goes away on its own.
However, if after two years the tachycardia or bradycardia does not go away (or worsens), you should consult a doctor and get an examination.
A few recommendations from a cardiologist
One wayremove the attack of tachycardia next. Relax first, then exhale completely and hold your breath for as long as possible. This raises the pressure and helps to normalize the heart rhythm. Usually once is enough, but if necessary, you can repeat more. This exercise usually reduces the number of heartbeats, returning the pulse to normal.
Exercise that causes vomiting, light pressure on the eyeballs, squeezing the abdominals also helps to relieve a tachycardia attack, as they raise the pressure.
It is advisable to relieve attacks of bradycardia under the supervision of a doctor or on his clear recommendation with the help of medications. Before the doctor arrives, Validol or Corvalol is used to stabilize the rhythm according to the instructions.
Prevention of heart rhythm disorders
Prevention and treatment of heart disease is best done according to the specific recommendations of a doctor, but general principles still exist, and the most important thing is a he althy lifestyle.
This very broad concept includes not only the absence of such bad habits as tobacco, alcohol, gluttony, lying on your favorite sofa, spending many hours talking to a TV or computer.
This is, firstly, the ability to enjoy every day of life. Heart diseases provoke the fear of death, so you need to try and live joyfully, breathe deeply, forget about worries. It's difficult, but necessary. Only when you meet every day with hope and desire to live (and exercise!), the heart will feel good.
Followed by physical activity. This isnot fussy running around "on business", full of petty anxieties and worries that destroy he alth. It is necessary to allocate at least half an hour daily to give the body a good load. Brisk walking, swimming, gymnastics with regular repetition will make anyone he althier and more fun. The rhythm of classes is selected together with the doctor or by yourself when it comes to prevention
An acquaintance recovered from a heart attack only when he began to walk up to 10 km a day, walking, and not “on business”.
- In the diet, you need to include more variety of products, which helps in the normalization of metabolism and improves mood. You can not drink strong tea, coffee, cocoa, eat a lot of fatty and sweet. Fish, vegetables, cereals should be on your table all the time. Not recommended for bradycardia: honey, dried apricots, baked potatoes, cherries, cherries, cranberries, peaches.
- To relieve attacks that have arisen after stress, you can use aromatherapy, such as lavender, and better laughter therapy - daily watching comedies, fun reading.
- Further, we can recommend thinking less and doing more with your hands, sitting less at the TV (and a computer in general, like a microwave, can provoke an arrhythmia!), And more walking, at least slowly, better in the park, but you can even on the balcony, doing simple exercises.
- You need to see a lot of people. Look at them from the windows if you are unable to go outside. Core fellowship is a necessary component of recovery.
It's hard to say which is better - tachycardia or bradycardia, but one thing can be saidexactly: pity your heart, move more and communicate, enjoy life!
