Heart Rhythm Disorders
A heart rhythm disorder, known as an arrhythmia, is characterized by an abnormal heart beat - too fast, too slow or uneven. Many arrhythmias don't pose a serious health danger, but for patients who require treatment, arrhythmia specialists at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center provide advanced care.
Arrhythmia specialists use tests, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), to measure the heart's electrical activity and identify damage to the heart. Specialists also use a Holter monitor, which is an external device that records heart activity over a short period, or a loop recorder, which is a small implantable device that records the heart's electrical rhythms over a longer period of time, to identify any abnormal heart activity.
Depending on the type and severity of the arrhythmia, a potential treatment option could be a pacemaker. A pacemaker is a device that sends small electrical impulses to the heart muscle to maintain a suitable heart rate or to stimulate the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). A pacemaker may also be used to treat fainting spells (syncope), congestive heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The types of pacemakers are single chamber, dual chamber and biventricular. Your doctor will decide what type of pacemaker you need based on your heart condition. Your doctor also determines the minimum rate (lowest heart rate) to set your pacemaker. When your heart rate drops below the set rate, the pacemaker generates (fires) an impulse that passes through the lead to the heart muscle. This causes the heart muscle to contract, creating a heartbeat.