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The most common underlying causes are different, depending on the patient's age. Common cardiac causes include coronary artery disease, non-atherosclerotic coronary artery abnormalities, structural heart damage, and inherited arrhythmias. Common non-cardiac causes include respiratory arrest, diabetes, medications, and trauma.
Several groups of drugs slow conduction through the heart, without actually preventing an arrhythmia. These drugs can be used to "rate control" a fast rhythm and make it physically tolerable for the patient. [citation needed] Some arrhythmias promote blood clotting within the heart and increase the risk of embolus and stroke.
[1] [5] People with TIC may have symptoms associated with heart failure (e.g. shortness of breath or ankle swelling) and/or symptoms related to the tachycardia or arrhythmia (e.g. palpitations). [1] [2] Though atrial fibrillation is the most common cause of TIC, several tachycardias and arrhythmias have been associated with the disease. [5] [1]
Anticoagulants: To prevent embolization.. Beta blockers: To block the effects of certain hormones on the heart to slow the heart rate.. Calcium Channel Blockers: Help slow the heart rate by blocking the number of electrical impulses that pass through the AV node into the lower heart chambers (ventricles).
Two distinct drug classes in which cardiotoxicity can occur are in anti-cancer and antiarrhythmic drugs. Anti-cancer drug classes that cause cardiotoxicity include anthracyclines, monoclonal antibodies, and antimetabolites. This form generally manifests as a progressive form of heart failure, but can also manifest as an harmful arrhythmia. [2]
Proarrhythmia is a new or more frequent occurrence of pre-existing arrhythmias, paradoxically precipitated by antiarrhythmic therapy, which means it is a side effect associated with the administration of some existing antiarrhythmic drugs, as well as drugs for other indications. In other words, it is a tendency of antiarrhythmic drugs to ...
Most patients with drug-induced QT prolongation are asymptomatic and are diagnosed solely by EKG in association with a history of using medications known to cause QT prolongation. [6] A minority of patients are symptomatic and typically present with one or more signs of arrhythmia, such as lightheadedness, syncope, or palpitations. [6]
Those affected by arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy may not have any symptoms at all despite having significant abnormalities in the structure of their hearts. [6] If symptoms do occur, the initial presentation is often due to abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) which in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy may take the form of palpitations, or blackouts. [7]