Cardiac arrhythmias

• An irregular heartbeat is an arrhythmia (also called dysrhythmia). Heart rates can also be irregular.
• A normal heart rate is 50 to 100 beats per minute.
• Arrhythmias and abnormal heart rates (bradycardia/tachycardia) do not necessarily occur together.

Symptoms may include:

• Fluttering in the chest
• Fainting (syncope) or near fainting
• A racing heartbeat (Tachycardia - less than 60 bpm)
• A slow heartbeat (Bradycardia - more than 100 bpm)
• Angina
• Shortness of breath
• Lightheadedness or dizziness 
• Sweating   

Causes Include :

• Current myocardial infraction
• Cardiomyopathy 
• Hypertension
• Scarring of cardiac tissue from a previous episode of MI
• Coronary artery disease
• Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism 
• Genetic factors
• Drugs
• Diabetes
• Sleep apnea