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At Boston Medical Center, we're dedicated to diagnosing and treating a wide array of arrhythmias, including the below. We also manage brady-arrhythmias such as sick sinus syndrome and heart block, and patients with pacemakers and defibrillators.
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, occurs when the atria beats at up to 600 times per minute, causing the chambers to quiver instead of contract effectively. A normal atria beats 60-80 times per minute.
Atrial flutter occurs when the heart beats too quickly (typically 300 beats per minute) and therefore cannot pump blood efficiently. Atrial flutter that comes and goes is known as paroxysmal atrial flutter. When atrial flutter lasts longer--often for days to weeks at a time--it is called persistent atrial flutter. Left untreated, atrial flutter can lead to an increased risk of stroke.
An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm in the United States. It originates in the atria, the heart's two upper chambers, and increases the risk of a stroke.
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a rapid heart rate that occurs periodically. Paroxysmal means that it happens intermittently, or from time to time.
Ventricular arrhythmias begin in the heart's lower chambers, called the ventricles. Normally, a resting heart should beat between 60 and 100 times per minute. When a ventricular arrhythmia occurs, the ventricles beat abnormally fast -- up 300 beats per minute. Unlike an atrial arrhythmia, ventricular arrhythmias can be the most severe and life-threatening arrhythmias.
Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome occurs when the heart beats too quickly. Normally, the heart beats in a coordinated way between 60 and 100 times per minute. The heart rate of a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome can approach 240 beats per minute for a short period of time.
