heart arrhythmia?

Question

i have a friend who has arrhythmia and i was wondering if there was anything he could do when he has an attack and doesnt have his medication?

Answer 1

It is very dependent on the kind of arrhythmia to which you're referring. An arrhythmia is any heart rhythm that is not normal. Based on the way you describe it as an "attack", your friend probably has a tachycarrhythmia, meaning an arrhythmia which causes the heart to beat too fast rather than too slow.

The more common (and generally less dangerous) sort are supraventricular arrhythmias which arise from the top chambers of the heart. Some of these can be terminated with something called the Valsalva maneuver which increases vagal nerve stimulation and slows down conduction through the heart's electrical system. This is what doctors are trying to get you to do when they tell you to "strain like you are having a bowel movement". Others will tell you to plug your mouth with your thumb and blow. Another way is to give a few good coughs.

Valsalva is generally NOT useful for terminating arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Ventricular arrhythmias are a whole different story and can be life threatening!

In any case, the best thing to do is tell him to ask his doctor. If he knows what the specific arrhythmia is, he can answer your question best.

Answer 2

No a heart attack is what is called a myocardial infarction, caused by a blood clot in your heart's artery, depriving your heart of oxygen. An arrhythmia can be any of hundreds of problems with the circuitry of your heart, when the electricity either stops, or is a rhythm that is random and spastic, not producing a pulse, called pulseless electrical activity. On TV when they shock people, they are interrupting the "bad" rhythm, stopping the heart for a few seconds, and hoping it starts again at Normal Sinus Rhythm.

Answer 3

When an arrhythmia is serious, urgent treatment may be required to restore a normal rhythm. This may include intravenous medications, electrical "shock" therapy (defibrillation or cardioversion), or implanting a temporary pacemaker to interrupt the arrhythmia.
Please see the web pages for more details on Arrhythmias and Conduction disorders.

Answer 4

I am wondering what kind of medication is (s)he on that they take only during an "attack"? Most arrythmias I know of are treated with daily meds.

Answer 5

I've got it, too, and I cough several times. Not a hard chest clearing kind of cough, just a sort of attention getting cough. I don't know why this works, but when I get these attacks, it stops them.