Arrhythmia is a disease that causes the heart to beat with an irregular rhythm. There are certain myths that are believed regarding it.
An irregular heartbeat is seen only during a heart attackEvery time you hear your heart beating faster, it does not indicate that you are about to suffer a heart attack. Over excitement, nervousness just before exams or an emotional incident can make your heart beat faster for some time. This will not have any direct effect on the working of your heart. It is normal to have an increased heartbeat during these times due to the increase in the levels of adrenaline in the blood stream. However, a heart attack also shows increase in heart rate and the latter is one of the early warning signs of a heart attack.A person with cardiac arrhythmia should not indulge in outdoor sportsIt is perfectly all right to indulge in refreshing outdoor sports such as skiing, tennis or cricket. However, it is essential that you are careful and that you do not over exert yourself up to the point of exhaustion. Light outdoor activities that give you joy can improve the condition of your heart by increasing the blood flow to all the different parts of the body. So a person with cardiac arrhythmia need not give up outdoor sports completely, but enjoy it in moderation and also benefit from it.A faster heart rate is suggestive of stressThis is not entirely true. Some individuals are born with the tendency of an irregular beating of the heart. This does not mean that they have been stressed. It is a hereditary trait and it has been inherited from one of the parents. However, the opposite of this is quite possible since stress can increase the chances of irregularity in a person’s heart rate and bring about an increase in the heartbeats, just like any other normal person. A person born with a congenital valve defect sometimes has accompanying cardiac arrhythmia.Cardiac arrhythmia is seen only in obese individualsThere is absolutely no relation between obesity and irregular heart beat. Cardiac arrhythmia is seen not only in obese individuals but also in lean and thin people. While some obese individuals may coincidently have cardiac arrhythmias, it is equally possible for a thin person to have irregular heartbeats. An obese person can be at a risk of getting heart disease but not arrhythmia. In fact, you can find very lean and thin individuals with alarming degrees of irregularity in their heartbeats. So obesity does not cause arrhythmia in people.Fatty foods can lead to irregular heart rateAll fatty foods are not bad for the heart rate. It is a myth that fatty foods lead to an irregular heart rate. There is something known as good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. It is the bad cholesterol present in certain oils and fats that should be avoided to remain healthy. An individual who consumes a balanced diet with the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats can seldom be seen with cardiac problems such as arrhythmias. The idea is to eat the right kind of fatty foodstuff, which is good for the body.Erratic heartbeats cannot result in serious complicationsThis is not the truth at all. In fact, erratic heartbeats are sometimes the first sign of an impending heart attack or a stroke. Therefore, you should be very careful and immediately contact your physician. The doctor is the right person who can rule out any cardiac cause of the arrhythmia. In case there is a cardiac problem which is causing the irregularity in the heart rate, immediate action can be taken by the doctor. Erratic heartbeats should never be taken lightly or ignored. One should take prompt action in case one notices irregular heartbeats without much delay to avoid any serious complications later on.A slow heart rate is a sign of a weak heartA slow rate is just a condition where your heart beats at a slower pace. This is perfectly normal if it is within the permissible limits of 60 to 70 heartbeats per minute. The slow beating of the heart could be a sign of an underlying defect in the pumping of the heart and needs to be evaluated with a thorough cardiac examination. Of course a slow heart rate should not be neglected, but avoid panic at all costs, as that can only aggravate even the mildest of problems.Cardiac arrhythmia is accompanied by high blood pressureHigh blood pressure is a different entity altogether and has various reasons other than cardiac arrhythmias. High blood pressure is caused due to the thickening of the blood vessels supplying the heart, which in turn leads to hypertension. It is a myth that cardiac arrhythmia is a precursor to or a result of high blood pressure. Irregular heartbeats cannot cause hypertension in any way. There is absolutely no co-relation between the two conditions, which is often confused by people.Emotional stress cannot give cardiac arrhythmiasEmotional trauma and sudden shocks have been known to cause sudden fear and anxiety that can lead to an erratic heartbeat or an increased heart rate. However, these arrhythmias are transient and do not last for a long period. They may be recorded just after an emotional stress and soon return to normal within a few hours, without causing much change in the rhythmic beat of the heart muscle. Those who already have an accompanying heart problem may have some irreversible repercussions following emotional trauma.Young people cannot have an irregular heart rateHeart rate is very often a hereditary character and an individual may be born with an irregular heartbeat. Age is not associated with cardiac arrhythmias and any person could have an erratic heartbeat. People of all ages are known to exhibit irregular heart beat patterns. Even young children should be screened for cardiac defects if they complain of breathlessness on exertion. So, it is quite possible for young people to have an irregular heart rate. Age is not a factor for heart rate at all.Sports persons cannot develop cardiac arrhythmiasSports persons who over exert themselves, athletics with less nutritional supplements, and sports persons with a congenital cardiac arrhythmia can all show signs of irregular heartbeats. It is perfectly normal for the heart rate to show a temporary change in people who have indulged in some form of rigorous exercise. But these irregularities are transient in nature. Of course, sports persons do suffer from cardiac arrhythmias, however, not all sports persons can suffer from cardiac arrhythmias just because they indulge in rigorous activities.
