Any diseases of the cardiovascular system should not be ignored. Even the smallest pathology can cause serious complications. Arrhythmia requires a special approach. This is a condition in which the regularity or frequency of the heart rhythm is disturbed. The pathological process can lead to the death of the patient. Therefore, it is worth knowing what first aid for arrhythmia should be.
Description of the pathological process
The term "arrhythmia" combines several conditions at once. The pathological process develops when the nerve impulses that initiate heart contractions do not function properly. In this case, the heart muscle begins to contract irregularly, the rhythm frequency changes. Can cause serious complications of cardiac arrhythmia. Symptoms, treatment, first aid - all this should be known to a person who has a tendency to cardiovascular pathologies.
Mild arrhythmia is not dangerous. With her a mancan lead an almost complete life. Sometimes the patient is not even aware of his condition. The diagnosis is made at the next medical examination. A person who knows about his arrhythmia should regularly visit a cardiologist and take prescribed medications. In this case, the diagnosis will not pose a threat to life.
Specialists distinguish several forms of arrhythmia. If the heartbeat increases to 90 beats per minute, they talk about tachycardia. Almost everyone has experienced this condition at one time or another. The heart begins to contract more intensely with excitement or drinking a lot of coffee. A slow 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 the formation of 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, there are two forms of the pathological process. 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 the impulse leading to a rhythmic contraction is hindered. Gradually, scar tissue forms on the heart muscle, the pathological process worsens.
The inorganic or functional type of arrhythmia deserves special attention. The development of the disease is not associated with cardiovascularvascular system. The pathological process can develop due to excessive activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Arrhythmia often develops after complex bacterial infections. Chronic thyroid diseases also lead to the development of various forms of arrhythmias over time.
In the fairer sex, violations of the contraction of the heart muscle can develop against the background of hormonal disruptions. Pathologists often suffer from women during menopause. In addition to tachycardia, such unpleasant symptoms as pain in the heart, a feeling of suffocation can develop. At the same time, first aid for arrhythmia must be provided correctly.
Mechanical arrhythmias can develop against the background of chest injuries. If the causes of the pathological process cannot be established, they speak of an idiopathic form of the disease.
Symptoms
At the initial stage, the disease does not manifest itself at all. The patient can live with the diagnosis for a long time and learns about it only at the next medical examination. The manifestations of arrhythmia also change depending on the form of the pathological process. As the disease progresses, the patient begins to feel interruptions in the work of the heart. The organ either “pops out of the chest”, or it is not audible 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, cannot cope with his daily duties. If the state of he alth is rapidly deteriorating, first aid should be provided correctly whenarrhythmias.
Tachycardia may be accompanied by suffocation. The heart rate in this case can reach 140-200 beats per minute. The patient is covered with a cold sweat, there may be pain in the chest (in the region of the heart). Such attacks of arrhythmia can also lead to death. Every patient who has experienced such a disease should know first aid preparations.
Arrhythmia in children
In some babies, heart rhythm disturbance is a congenital pathology. Arrhythmia in pediatrics occurs in all age groups. The earlier treatment is started, the greater the chance that a small patient will be able to lead a full life. The most common cause of arrhythmias in childhood are congenital heart defects. They are eliminated through surgery or drug therapy.
Adolescent arrhythmia deserves special attention. The disease develops in boys and girls 12-15 years old against the background of hormonal changes. As a rule, special therapy is not required. Pathology itself passes closer to 20 years. However, parents should know what first aid should be for arrhythmia in a child.
Diagnosis
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 connected with when its first signs appeared. The therapist or cardiologist can suspect the disease during the next examination. The doctor interrogates the patient, clarifies whether there are obvious signsarrhythmias. Instrumental studies such as electrocardiogram, ECG monitoring allow confirming the diagnosis.
The doctor evaluates the frequency and depth of heart contractions for several minutes. However, with the help of an ECG, only permanent (sustained arrhythmias) can be detected. If the pathological process manifests itself periodically in the patient, it will not be possible to identify it during the examination.
The correct diagnosis helps to choose drugs for cardiac arrhythmias. First aid in a medical institution helps to avoid serious complications in the future.
To clarify the degree of arrhythmia, the form of the disease helps daily ECG monitoring. The doctor monitors the work of the patient's heart throughout the day. Additionally, a number of auxiliary diagnostic tests with a load are carried out (squats, marches, 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, assistance to the patient must be provided immediately. It is necessary to worry already when the patient begins to 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 must be given correctly.
In some cases, the attack may end as suddenly as it began, without any manipulation. However, this does not mean that the patient does not needhelp. First of all, you need to call an ambulance. The doctor will be able to conduct an examination on the spot, listen to the heart. It is possible that a referral for hospitalization will be issued.
The panic attack that starts many attacks only makes things worse. Therefore, even before the arrival of the ambulance, the patient must be reassured. You can not show the patient that there is a threat to his he alth. This is especially important if the role of the patient is a child. In some cases, changing the position from vertical to horizontal helps to normalize the work of the heart. The patient is recommended to lie down, to ensure the flow of fresh air into the room.
Stop the arrhythmia will help call the gag reflex. To do this, just try to reach the larynx with two fingers.
Patients who have been treated for arrhythmia for a long time have drugs in their medicine cabinet to normalize the work of the heart. You should take only proven medicines prescribed by a specialist.
Massage will help normalize the work of the heart
Proper mechanical manipulations will help to normalize well-being. Massage is especially effective if arrhythmia is observed at low pressure. First aid provided at the very beginning of an attack will avoid dangerous complications.
You can stop arrhythmia with light pressure on the patient's eyeballs. The eyelids must be closed. Such manipulation should be carried out with extreme caution in order to avoid retinal detachment. A gentle massage of the solar plexus will help to cope with a panic attack.
With tachycardia goodresults are shown by breathing exercises. On inspiration, the air must be held in the lungs for a few seconds. Thanks to such actions, the concentration of oxygen in the blood increases, the heart rate normalizes.
Drug therapy for disease
How is arrhythmia treated? First aid during an attack will help to avoid dangerous complications. Further therapy can be carried out in a medical institution. 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 underlying pathology of the cardiovascular system in order to get rid of the arrhythmia. For chronic diseases, supportive care is provided.
Many cases of arrhythmia require special medical treatment. Drugs that block sodium channels are widely used. These include the means "Quinidin", "Aimalin", "Trimekain", etc. Calcium channel blockers can also be used - the means "Diltiazem", "Verapamil". In combination 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 perform surgery. Under general anesthesia, the patient is given a pacemaker to control the rhythm.
Treatment of arrhythmia with folk remedies
Based on simple foods and plants can be createdeffective drugs to eliminate dangerous pathologies of the cardiovascular system. However, any method of therapy should be discussed with your doctor. It can be really dangerous arrhythmia of the heart. Symptoms, treatment, first aid - all this should be consulted with a cardiologist when making a diagnosis.
Valerian-based medicines show good results in arrhythmias. The plant has long been famous for its soothing properties. For the treatment of heart diseases, a medicinal infusion is used. Valerian can be mixed with motherwort, viburnum and calendula in equal proportions. Two teaspoons of infusion pour a glass of boiling water and insist for an hour. Then the medicine is filtered. The resulting remedy 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 carried out using lemon balm tea. This plant also has wonderful soothing properties. A teaspoon of dry crushed raw materials is poured with 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, a medicinal decoction can be prepared. About 200 g of raw materials are poured with a liter of water, brought to a boil and boiled for another 20 minutes. Then the finished broth is filtered. It is necessary to use the medicine during the day.
Treatment prognosis and possible complications
Forecast directly depends on the typepathologies that have been encountered. Arrhythmias of a non-organic nature, 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 experience ventricular flutter against arrhythmia. At the same time, without timely resuscitation, there is a serious threat to human life.
Prevention of arrhythmia is the timely treatment of any cardiac pathologies. Almost all heart diseases are sooner or later complicated by rhythm disturbance. In addition, it is worth avoiding other factors against which arrhythmia can develop. These are severe infections, feverish conditions, injuries. Any disease requires proper and timely therapy.
