Abnormal Heart Rhythm / Arrhythmia

What heart conditions are commonly associated with life-threatening arrhythmias?

​Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) can also result in other types of heart conditions.

Often, a life-threatening arrhythmia is linked to heart conditions such as:

• Coronary artery disease: The Singapore study found that 81 per cent of all sudden cardiac deaths were caused by coronary artery disease (hardening and narrowing of the arteries supplying the heart).
• Heart attack: Almost 75 per cent of all sudden cardiac arrest patients show signs of a previous heart attack (myocardial infarction).
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: An abnormal thickening of the heart muscle can cause ventricular fibrillation, especially during exertion.
• Electrical disorders of the heart: One of these disorders is Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, characterised by an extra nerve connecting the heart chambers. This can cause an ‘electrical short-circuit’ in the heart, resulting in a rapid heartbeat. Brugada syndrome and long QT syndrome are also examples of electrical disorders.
  

References

1. Healthdirect Australia. (n.d.). Heart arrhythmias. healthdirect. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/heart-arrhythmias
2. Overview of arrhythmias - overview of arrhythmias. MSD Manual Professional Edition. (n.d.). https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/cardiovascular-disorders/overview-of-arrhythmias-and-conduction-disorders/overview-of-arrhythmias
3. Arrhythmias. British Heart Foundation. (n.d.). https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/arrhythmias
4. What is an arrhythmia?. www.heart.org. (2024, September 27). https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/about-arrhythmia
5. (2024). Cardiac Arrhythmias, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.17816/cardar.33