Very often people are faced with various diseases, and recently the pathology of the cardiovascular system has become the most common, including atrial extrasystole (on the ECG is determined in most cases). Experts associate this directly with constant stressful situations, disturbed diet and rest, untimely therapy of other pathologies that develop in the body. Treatment is required without fail and is based on the results of the examination. To eliminate this violation, it is recommended to take preventive measures.
Atrial premature beats on ECG: what does it mean?
PE (atrial extrasystole) is a heart disease that is expressed in a disturbed rhythm. It is diagnosed in patients of different age groups. This pathology of the organ is characterized by premature contraction that occurs due to electrical signals in the atria.
PE is notrefers to a malignant condition, can be diagnosed in he althy patients and is not accompanied by any symptoms. In this situation, the person is not assigned significant therapy. But there are cases when the diagnosis of "atrial extrasystole" is the first sign of diseases of the cardiac or vascular systems. If you refuse treatment, then there is a high probability of developing complications, for example, atrial fibrillation and flutter.
At the first symptomatology, it is recommended to seek additional advice from a narrow-profile specialist - a cardiologist. Further, based on the patient's questioning, various examination methods are assigned.
Types of violations
Atrial premature beats on the ECG are of several types, on which future therapy may depend. Only a specialist is able to determine the type of pathology, therefore it is not recommended to engage in self-diagnosis and, moreover, treatment in order to exclude negative he alth consequences.
Depending on what exactly was reduced ahead of time, an extrasystole of this type is isolated:
- Atrial (also called "supraventricular").
- Nodal.
- Ventricular.
Also, depending on the sequence of extraordinary excitations of the heart, experts distinguish:
- bigeminia (every second excitation of the organ occurs prematurely);
- trigeminia (every third rhythm disturbance occurs prematurely);
- quadrigeminy(every fourth stimulation).
This pathology has a different classification. Extrasystoles, depending on the source, can be monotopic or polytopic.
Provoking factors
The causes of atrial extrasystole are still not exactly established by specialists, they adhere to several options. In most cases, this disorder is diagnosed in patients without pathologies of the cardiac system. But it is worth remembering that atrial extrasystole can also occur as a result of:
- Significant and frequent consumption of caffeinated foods and drinks.
- Smoking and alcohol abuse.
- Persistent stressful situations.
- Disturbed rest and work schedule, insomnia.
- Taking medicines with side effects related to abnormal heart rhythms.
Atrial extrasystole on the ECG may also indicate the fact that the patient has additional paths for the propagation of an electrical impulse in the conduction system of the heart. This provoking factor can provoke other violations in the system. Do not forget that pathology can also be associated with diseases such as:
- Persistent high blood pressure.
- Valvular heart disease.
- Congenital organ pathologies.
- Infectious diseases that affect the functionality of the heart.
- Myocardial infarction.
Very often, any kind of disease, including blocked atrial extrasystole on the ECG, occurs in patients who have an impaired level of potassium, magnesium, as well as poisoning of the body with cardiac glycosides. In addition, pathologies can also be contributed by such factors as the older age category of the patient (from 50-55 years old), high growth, impaired cholesterol levels, and the formation of cholesterol plaques in the blood.
Symptomatics
In significant cases, there are no signs of atrial extrasystole, which only further complicates the situation and, in the future, treatment. If the patient does not conduct regular preventive examinations and does not monitor his condition, this can lead to serious complications and negative consequences.
The most common symptoms of atrial premature beats:
- A distinct feeling of a push in the heart, which occurs less than 4-6 times per minute. This occurs as a result of single extrasystoles.
- Increased weakness, shortness of breath, fever and angina. This symptomatology is noted due to frequent or group atrial extrasystole, which provokes the development of moderate hemodynamic disturbances, as a result, the number of cardiovascular contractions increases.
- Impaired vision. The patient may notice darkening in the eyes or the appearance of a "film".
- Panic attack, which is associated with severe tremors of the heart. As a result, the work of the nervous system is disturbed, the patientis constantly in a state of stress.
- In patients who have had a myocardial infarction or are diagnosed with coronary heart disease, the symptoms will be expressed as follows: pain in the chest and in the organ area, lack of oxygen, cold upper limbs and their numbness, the skin becomes pale. In this situation, urgent hospitalization and a thorough examination are required, as there is a risk of death.
The violation is hard tolerated by those patients who suffer from vegetative-vascular dystonia (VVD).
Diagnosis
To accurately determine the pathology of the heart rhythm, it is necessary to undergo an electrocardiographic study. Also, a specialist may recommend additional Holter monitoring.
What are the signs of atrial premature beats on an ECG?
First of all, the specialist draws attention to the abnormal P wave. Its changes will depend on which part of the atrium the extrasystole comes from. It can be smooth or abnormal. This wave is always marked in front of the ventricular QRS complex, which remains unchanged. The doctor also focuses on a complete compensatory pause, although there are exceptions.
Therapy
Treatment of atrial premature beats is based on the results of research. Appointed and adjusted exclusively by a specialist. Therapy involves a holistic approach. A positive result can only be achieved throughholding events such as:
- proper and balanced nutrition;
- adjusted work and rest schedule;
- frequent outdoor walks, moderate exercise;
- stop smoking, drinking alcohol;
- No or moderate consumption of caffeinated foods and drinks.
Do not forget about diseases that can provoke this violation in the work of the heart. It is recommended to pay attention to the treatment of pathologies associated with the nervous system. Treatment of blocked atrial extrasystole is also prescribed by a specialist and does not differ much from the main stages listed earlier.
Drug action
In addition to a he althy lifestyle and giving up various bad habits, you need to start taking medication. First of all, the specialist may recommend starting to drink valerian, motherwort tincture or other herbal preparations with a sedative effect.
If a patient is diagnosed with severe and neglected signs of atrial extrasystole on the ECG, then you need to start taking such drugs as "Verapamil", "Diltiazem", "Kordanon" as soon as possible. After each use of medicines, the patient should be calm, rest. If one of the prescribed medications is not suitable, then you should inform your doctor about this and do not engage in self-adjustmenttherapy.
The duration of the course of taking drugs for the treatment of atrial premature beats will depend on the patient's condition, as well as changes in the ECG. If improvement is noted, then it is advised to reduce the intake of antiarrhythmic drugs.
What is the emergency care for this violation
At the first signs of atrial premature beats on the ECG, it is recommended to immediately resort to action. Experts say that it is better to start taking calcium antagonists (isoptin, finoptin), beta-blockers. If a patient is diagnosed with heart failure, then it is advisable to use stropantil. Caution must be exercised with these glycosides, as they are contraindicated in the acute phase of myocardial infarction. An electrocardiogram is recommended beforehand.
It is also worth starting taking medicines that contain potassium, for example, Pananagin. Any drugs with this component have a number of contraindications and side effects, so they should be taken with caution and under the supervision of a doctor. Self-therapy in this case is completely excluded, even a slight adjustment of the dose or duration of administration.
Pathology in children
There are cases when atrial extrasystole on the ECG is noted even in children at an early age. Provoking factors can be a variety of diseases and disorders, such as heart disease, cardiomyopathy, cholecystitis, gastrointestinal pathologies, increased mental or physical activity, constant stressful situations, fever.
Very often, when identifying this violation, experts associate it with respiratory diseases. The rhythm can return to normal after recovery, so no additional therapy or any other intervention is required. As a result, serious disorders of the cardiovascular system are completely excluded.
In patients of an early age category, there are no complaints about general well-being. In this situation, pathology can be detected only as a result of a preventive examination by a cardiologist. As for adolescents, they may show signs such as:
- disturbed work of the heart;
- rapid breathing;
- dizziness;
- fear;
- intense sweating;
- insomnia.
Treatment is aimed at eliminating emotional stress, taking preventive measures against overwork. Medicinal herbal remedies that have a sedative effect can be used. Be sure to talk with parents about this disorder and treatment, attention is paid to the psychological situation in the family.
Preventive measures. Forecast
Prevention of atrial premature beats is possible if due attention is paid to prevention. It is advised to give up bad habits, adjust the daily routine, and also start eating right. The diet should include whole grains, fruits and vegetables. It is worth limiting the intake of fatty, s alty and fried foods. Not necessaryforget about sufficient fluid intake, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Moderate physical activity should be part of every patient's life. Swimming, walking, aerobics or running is recommended, but only jogging. In order not to harm yourself as a result of exercise, you must first consult with a specialist. If problems with weight are noted, then they are eliminated in a short time. This will help ease the work of the heart, improve the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.
Also, to exclude atrial extrasystole, attention is drawn to blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the blood. If these indicators differ from the norm, you should immediately start therapy.
As for the forecast, it is favorable. Pathology is not capable of leading to serious problems, unless it is provoked by other diseases in the body. In this case, atrial extrasystole turns into more severe cardiac arrhythmias, for example, fibrillation. In most situations, it is diagnosed in patients of an older age category.
If you have any questions, it is always better to seek additional advice from specialists, but do not engage in self-diagnosis. Even if doubts relate to proper nutrition, visits to the doctor's office should not be ruled out. After all, the performance of internal systems and overall well-being depend on the right therapy.
