Sinus rhythm - what is it? What is the sinus rhythm of the heart?

Some people advocate that doctors give them full information about their health. But if you think about it, it's not such a great idea. All these medical terms can frighten an amateur. For example, what does "sinus rhythm of the heart" mean ? Such words are not very clear to ordinary people, and the doctor gets another panicking patient.

Principles of the heart

Thanks to this organ, blood enters all the vessels of the body and provides each cell with food and oxygen. The heart is the motor of the body, and this engine works continuously throughout the whole human life. It is very complicated, it is even difficult to believe that nature could create such a mechanism.

It all begins with the generation of an electrical pulse by a sino-atrial node. Following the excitation of this small group of cells, the atria contract, pushing the blood into the ventricles. Then there is their relaxation. On the contrary, ventricles contract when the electric wave reaches them, throwing blood into the arteries. Later, all four chambers relax. And everything starts in a circle. It's amazing how well this mechanism works. Given that his work does not stop for a second, it's even strange how rare failures are.

Generation of the electrical signal occurs at approximately the same time intervals, although normally they can and even need to vary slightly. On the contrary, if this does not happen, it can speak of the depletion of reserves. This condition is called "rigidity of the rhythm." It can be observed with ischemia.

Sinus rhythm

What it is? What does this record mean in the decoding of the ECG? Is it worth to panic when you see her? In fact, the opposite is true. Such a record most often indicates normal heart function, although it may accompany some diseases. That's what the sinus rhythm of the heart means, especially if there are no other words. You can calm down and visit a doctor only in a year, if there is no other need.

It's a different matter if it's about sinus rhythm disturbances. It can be an arrhythmia, attacks of a tachycardia or a bradycardia, and also many other things. In fact, any decoding of the ECG should be interpreted by a special doctor or at least a therapist. And then it will be clear if there are any problems or all is well. After all, the record "rhythm irregular sine" for a teenager and an elderly person will not mean the same thing.

Varieties

In addition to the already mentioned record, it can be written "sinus rhythm vertical" or "horizontal". And what can these phrases mean? Only information about how the impulse of contraction passes through the cells. The fact is that an electric wave passes through the muscle tissue in a certain direction, roughly coinciding with the anatomical axis of the heart. That is, it only speaks about the peculiarities of its location.

As a rule, people with hypersthenic physique have a sinus rhythm horizontal, and the rest - vertical. However, both these options are the norm. This is just a feature.

Cardiogram

Sinus rhythm has a number of signs that are clearly visible on the ECG. First, the heart rate is 60-80 beats per minute, and in newborns and children up to 6 years - up to 150. Secondly, the prong P always precedes the QRS complex. Thirdly, PQ has a constant duration within the normal range (0.12-0.20 seconds). Finally, the duration of PP or RR is also the same.

For non-specialists the graphic display of the work of their hearts is of little informative. A simple patient may not even see serious disorders, while for cardiologists this kind of research can give a lot of valuable information. So to neglect the annual examination is not necessary - the ECG can show a malfunction in the work of the heart already when they are still not felt and do not manifest themselves.

Violations

As even the most accurate and reliable mechanism, the work of the heart can be frustrating. Fortunately, even the smallest problems almost immediately make themselves felt. When talking about violations, it is usually meant that due to some reasons, the sinus rhythm increases, decreases or gets out. What it is? In medical terms, these conditions are called sinus tachycardia, bradycardia and arrhythmia, respectively. And all of them mean that something is wrong with the node that generates an electrical impulse. With tachycardia, the sequence of all phases of the heart work in the cycle is preserved, but the heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute. With bradycardia, on the contrary, the frequency of contractions decreases to values less than 60. As for arrhythmia, periods of faster and slower heart work can alternate, and fluctuations in PP values on the ECG may exceed 10%.

Do not be intimidated immediately if one of these words was sounded or, for example, something like "irregular sine rhythm". In some cases, these violations can be of a physiological nature and not require treatment at all, but only observation. So, often there is a so-called respiratory sinus arrhythmia - this term is called alternating periods of a more frequent and rarer heartbeat, depending on inhalations and exhalations. This condition is typical for children and adolescents. Other types of sinus arrhythmia are extremely rare, often with severe diseases, for example, with acute myocardial infarction.

Causes

Tachycardia and bradycardia can have both a pharmacological and pathological nature. What substances can increase or decrease the heart rate? The list is quite extensive.

Tachycardia:

• Epinephrine / norepinephrine;
• caffeine;
• nicotine;
• alcohol;
• atropine;
• Sympathomimetics;
• Eufillin;
• Glucocorticosteroids;
• Thyroid hormones;
• Diuretics;
• Drugs aimed at reducing blood pressure.

Bradycardia:

• "Verapamil";
• Sympatholytics;
• Quinidine;
• Cardiac glycosides ;
• Beta-blockers;
• Morphine.

It is worth noting that some of the medicines mentioned in both lists are adopted in obstetrics, for example, to improve blood supply to the uterus and fetus and to remove swelling. So, getting any of these drugs, you should not worry too much, if it does not cause serious inconvenience.

As for the pathological causes of the violations, they are also quite frequent. Tachycardia:

• Acute or chronic heart failure;
• Myocardial infarction;
• Severe attack of angina pectoris;
• Acute myocarditis;
• Hypoxemia;
• anemia;
• Arterial hypotension;
• high body temperature;
• Thyrotoxicosis;
• A thrombus in the pulmonary artery;
• Pheochromocytoma.

Bradycardia can accompany the following diseases or conditions:

• Myocardial infarction;
• Syndrome weakness of the sinus node;
• Cardiosclerosis;
• Hypothyroidism;
• Infection;
• Increased intracranial pressure;
• hypothermia;
• intubation;
• Hypercalcemia;
• Hypokalemia;
• Stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer;
• uremia;
• Some types of poisoning;
• Ménière syndrome.

As you can see, the list is quite extensive, so you need to make sure that the sinus rhythm is not broken (what is it, we have already explained).

Diagnostics

In addition to the already mentioned electrocardiography, a type of study is often used, such as echography or ultrasound of the heart. It is also informative and can reveal a lot of interesting things. However, about the violations in the work of the sinus node it will not say, unfortunately, almost nothing, except that only about the concomitant diseases. In any case, the diagnosis of "sinus rhythm disturbance" is made solely on the basis of ECG data.

Treatment and control

If the nature of the conditions is pharmacological, to improve the situation, it is necessary to exclude the influence of these substances on the work of the heart. If it is a question of any pathological condition, tachycardia or bradycardia are just symptoms. Treatment in this case will be directed to the underlying disease, after the improvement of the situation, discomfort associated with the heart rhythm will be lost.

By the way, at any time you can control the work of the "motor" yourself, but it is better to do it in the morning. It is only necessary to calculate the number of beats per minute and compare it with the norm. The result within 60-80 is considered perfectly normal, we can say that it is a sinus rhythm. What is it is now clear.