Extrasystoles are ... A disturbance in the rhythm of the heart is the cause. Signs of heart disease

Extrasystole is a fairly common disorder, especially when it comes to elderly patients. A similar condition is accompanied by a violation of the normal heart rhythm. And today more and more people are interested in questions about what causes the appearance of such a problem, how dangerous it can be to health.

Extrasystoles - what is it?

Today many patients of clinics face this problem. So what is extrasystole? It is a disorder that is associated with certain heart rhythm disturbances . In case of such a disease, there are extraordinary contractions (systoles) of either the whole myocardium or its separate parts (for example, atria, ventricles).

Is extrasystole a norm or a threat to health?

Of course, today many people are faced with a similar problem. So how dangerous are these disorders? In fact, extraordinary abbreviations can arise and, as a matter of fact, arise at any age. For example, often young people complain of a strong heart attack, this is extrasystole. Moreover, according to statistics, about 80% of people older than fifty years from time to time suffer from periodic "unplanned" shocks.

What is the origin of the systole? With some disorders of the heart and vessels, the conductive system changes: it forms so-called ectopic foci, areas of increased activity. Most often, such a disorder appears in the conducting pathways of the ventricles, atria, and the atrioventricular node. It is these ectopic foci that generate impulses that trigger the mechanism of contraction of the heart in the phase of its relaxation (diastole). This is how extrasystole looks. This, by the way, can be extremely dangerous.

Undoubtedly, the occasional impulses do not pose a serious threat to human health. Nevertheless, they signal the presence of a particular problem, experts recommend that such patients pay more attention to their lifestyle, monitor their diet and regularly undergo examinations.

On the other hand, too frequent extrasystoles affect the work of the whole organism. After all, as a result of multiple extraordinary cuts, the discharge of blood decreases, which leads to a decrease in blood flow in the brain and coronary vessels. In such cases, the extrasystole of the heart is extremely dangerous, as it can lead to damage to the myocardium, fainting, or even sudden death of a person.

Heart rhythm disturbance: causes

In fact, there are many factors that can cause an attack of extrasystole. For example, disturbance of the heart rhythm can be due to exposure to the body of certain chemicals, including individual foods, alcoholic beverages, narcotic substances, even strong tea or coffee. Smoking also applies to risk factors. Functional extrasystole of the heart can occur in women during menstruation.

In addition, to the causes include some diseases, including osteochondrosis of the spine (especially the cervical region), as well as vegetovascular dystonia, neuroses of various origin and others.

There are other factors, under the influence of which there is a violation of the rhythm of the heart. The causes can be associated with organic lesions of the myocardium and the conduction system. For example, seizures often occur in patients with different vices, as well as against cardiosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, ischemic disease, inflammatory diseases (myocarditis, pericarditis). Risk factors also include diseases such as hemochromatosis, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, as in such conditions the risk of heart damage is high.

Attack extrasystole often occurs against a background of severe fever. In addition, the same effect can lead to the use of certain drugs, including those drugs that contain caffeine, ephedrine, euphyllin, novorrin, as well as tricyclic antidepressants, diuretics and glucocorticoids.

Strong stress, physical overstrain, violation of the mineral content in the cells of the myocardium - all this can provoke an attack of increased contraction of the heart muscle.

Classification of violations

Of course, today there are many classification systems that make it possible to understand what an extrasystole is - for example, depending on the location of the ectopic focus. Most often, there are abnormalities in the rhythm in the area of the ventricles, more than 60% of patients get to the doctor with this diagnosis.

In 25% there is an extrasystole atrial. Much more rarely, foci of rhythm disturbance appear in the atrioventricular junction, in such cases they are called atrioventricular. In addition, various combinations of the above-described forms are observed.

In some cases, the main sinus rhythm is preserved simultaneously with the formation of an ectopic focus, such a disorder is called parasystole. Infringements classify and by quantity of the centers of excitation, they can be both mono-and polytopic.

If the extrasystoles go two by one, then they are called paired. If the extraordinary cuts follow the "more than two in a row" scheme, then this is volley extrasystole. In addition, these disorders are divided into groups, depending on the moment of their occurrence during cardiac contraction (this is early, middle and late). If you take into account the frequency of occurrence of extrasystoles, they may be rare (extraordinary shortening is less than 5 per minute), medium (from 6 to 15) or frequent (for example, frequent ventricular extrasystole is accompanied by more than 15 extraordinary contractions of the ventricle per minute).

Naturally, there is a system according to which the extrasystole is classified according to its origin. For example, violations of the heart rhythm can be associated with organic or toxic tissue damage, physiological disorders.

How is extrasystole manifested?

In fact, signs of heart disease are not present in all patients, sometimes rhythm disturbances are determined by chance during a routine electrocardiogram. Moreover, there are many factors that can affect the number and intensity of the features present. For example, patients with organic myocardial lesions can easily tolerate attacks of extrasystole, while the clinical picture in people with vegetovascular dystonia looks much heavier.

Most often subjective extrasystoles are felt as a strong push, even a heart beat on the chest from the inside. In some cases, patients note that they feel that the heart is "turning over" or even "tumbling". Such feelings are associated with a strong, vigorous and sharp contraction of the myocardium.

In some patients, the attack of the extrasystole somewhat resembles the symptoms of coronary artery disease or angina pectoris. Extrasystol, which is associated with functional changes, is often accompanied by other signs. For example, patients complain of excessive sweating, a feeling of lack of air, hot flushes, strong, sudden weakness, discomfort. Sometimes there is an inexplicable sense of anxiety, even fear.

There are other signs of heart disease. For example, dizziness. Frequent extrasystole atrial or ventricular is accompanied by a decrease in the release of blood, which causes this symptom. In patients with cerebrovascular atherosclerosis, such rhythm disturbances can lead to blood circulation disorders, which is accompanied by paresis, fainting, aphasia and other disorders. In any case, when manifesting such conditions it is worth immediately contacting the doctor, as the consequences can be extremely dangerous and severe.

Extrasystoles in childhood

In fact, extrasystole in children is diagnosed quite often. A child of any age may suffer from it, sometimes such a disorder is recorded during intrauterine development. According to statistics, more than 75% of children in one degree or another suffer from cardiac rhythm disturbances. And over the past decade, the number of kids with these disorders has increased significantly.

What are the main causes of heart rhythm disturbances in children? First of all it is necessary to note congenital malformations and cardiomyopathies. In addition, the most common include infectious myocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, genetically determined diseases.

In some cases, the disease is associated with certain disorders of the endocrine and nervous system. For example, the appearance of extrasystole can lead to hypothyroidism or diabetes mellitus. On the other hand, chronic inflammatory and infectious processes, as well as vitamin deficiencies and deficiency of some elements, too much physical or emotional stress, are important. In any case, such a disorder needs proper treatment. As for the forecasts, the average or rare extrasystole, which is not accompanied by organic heart lesions, is considered a relatively safe form of the disease.

Modern diagnostic methods

Naturally, there are many methods of diagnostics, including ECG. Extrasystoles in such a study, as a rule, is clearly visible. Nevertheless, the process of diagnosis does not begin with this. To begin with, the doctor is required to conduct a complete examination, which begins with the collection of information. The patient should tell the specialist what symptoms he has manifested, how intense his attacks are, how often they occur.

It is extremely important to determine the cause of heart rhythm disturbances. For this purpose, an anamnesis is being prepared, the physician should be aware of the presence of other diseases, the taking of medications. The fact is that the choice of effective methods of treatment largely depends on the cause and nature of the lesions of the conduction system of the heart.

After this, the doctor, as a rule, conducts palpation of the pulse on the radial artery. With extrasystole the specialist can replace the pulse wave, which arises prematurely. Sometimes, on the contrary, extrasystole is accompanied by episodes of "loss" of the pulse, which is observed with insufficient filling of the ventricles during diastole.

Further auscultation of the heart is carried out . When listening, you can see the presence of premature І and ІІ tones. By the way, with a similar disease, the first tone is strengthened, which is associated with a small filling of the ventricles. But the second tone, on the contrary, is weakened, since the discharge of blood into the aorta and pulmonary artery is much less.

After this, the doctor will probably send the patient to do a cardiogram of the heart. This is one of the most accurate methods of research. In some cases, a so-called Holter ECG is performed. What is the procedure? A special portable device is attached to the body of the patient, which registers the heart rhythm for 1-2 days. Along with this, the patient maintains a diary of activity, in which he describes his feelings and actions. A similar study is used if it is necessary to find out what triggers an attack of the extrasystole.

If cardiac rhythm disturbances are not observed at rest, additional tests are performed - this is bicycle ergometry and treadmill test. Such studies make it possible to measure indicators (blood pressure) and make an ECG during exercise (for example, walking on a treadmill, exercising on a stationary bike). When suspected of organic damage to the myocardium, patients are advised to have an ultrasound and an MRI of the heart.

How are extrasystoles treated?

As already mentioned, the treatment of heart extrasystoles directly depends on the causes of its occurrence. For example, if a rhythm disturbance is associated with taking some medications, then, of course, they need to be canceled. If the reasons lie in the frustration of the digestive or cardiovascular system, then you need to treat them first and the attacks of the extrasystole disappear together with the primary disease.

In some cases, diagnostics help to understand that rhythm disturbances have arisen against a background of nervous overstrain. Such patients are referred for consultation to a neurologist and, as a rule, prescribe the reception of soft sedatives or collections of sedative herbs.

Single and rarely occurring attacks of extrasystole do not require specific drug treatment, patients are only recommended to follow the principles of a healthy lifestyle and from time to time undergo repeated examinations.

If the attacks are observed often, accompanied by shortness of breath, severe strokes and weakness, then, most likely, the doctor will pick up suitable medications. As a rule, so-called antiarrhythmic drugs, including lidocaine, sotalol, novocainamide, diltiazem, quinidine, cordarone, mexylene, are prescribed to eliminate the disturbances. In no case can you independently use these drugs, since the dosage and the regimen are purely individual. Moreover, sometimes medicines begin to be introduced during the Holter ECG monitoring, this gives an opportunity to understand whether the drug works properly, and whether it will cause even greater harm to the body.

In benign extrasystoles, medications are taken until the seizures completely disappear, or at least their number is not minimized. After that, the number of drugs is gradually reduced, and then they are completely canceled. As a rule, such treatment lasts for several months. But in malignant forms of disturbance, patients take anti-arrhythmic drugs throughout their lives.

In cases where such drugs do not work, or the patient is identified for intolerance, other methods of treatment, in particular, radiofrequency ablation of the heart, are used. By the way, the indication to this form of therapy is the ventricular form of the extrasystole, which is accompanied by 20-30 thousand attacks per day. This is a surgical procedure that refers to minimally invasive methods. Carry it with a special endovascular catheter, which transmits currents of high frequency. Thus, the electrode points to the areas of the heart where conduction is impaired. With this procedure, you can block the transmission of pathological, "wrong" pulses and resume normal sinus rhythms.

Effects of heart rhythm disturbances and predictions for patients

Forecasts for patients directly depend on the course of the disease and the presence of concomitant disorders. For example, the most dangerous are extrasystoles, which develop against a background of heart attack, cardiomyopathy and organic damage to the myocardium.

In any case, the lack of qualified and timely assistance can lead to a mass of complications. Despite the fact that in most cases the extrasystole is benign, sometimes other dangerous diseases develop, including paroxysmal tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Such conditions can lead to a sudden death of the patient.

There are some other complications that accompany extrasystole. This, in the first place, problems with blood circulation and tissue nutrition. Indeed, with repeated extrasystoles, the volume of blood ejected by the heart is significantly reduced. This leads to oxygen starvation and disruption of normal blood circulation. Often, extrasystole leads to the development of chronic deficiency of renal, coronary and cerebral vessels, which entails even greater complications.

Methods of prevention

Of course, a patient with similar problems should be registered with a cardiologist and regularly undergo examinations. The main method of preventing dangerous complications of extrasystole is the correct treatment of the primary disease. Patients should always take the drugs prescribed by a specialist, and also observe the schedule and treatment regimen. In addition, regular studies of the heart rate are mandatory, as this gives the doctor an opportunity to follow the pace of the disease and the effect of prescribed medications.

Surely, patients will need to radically re-examine their lifestyle. Any heart disease requires a special diet. Refusal from smoking, drinking alcohol and caffeine is mandatory. And, of course, for the work of the cardiovascular system will be useful moderate, but regular exercise, walking in the fresh air.

Separately it is necessary to talk about first aid. Attack extrasystole, usually occurs suddenly. The patient should lie down and calm down. It is also recommended to unbutton the top buttons of the shirt, loosen the tie and belt, in a word, remove all possible obstacles that prevent breathing. If the attack was caused by stress, then it is allowed to take a small amount of a sedative. It is best to call an ambulance, because the consequences of extrasystole can be dangerous.