Arrhythmia & Heart Failure
Arrhythmia is a condition where the heart beats out of time: either too fast, too slow or irregularly. Heart failure is a chronic disease in which the heart lacks the strength to adequately pump blood throughout the body, causing fluid to build up in the lungs, ankles and other body parts. For a Spanish-language version of the Guide, click here.
Expand All Guide SectionsArrhythmia
Many arrhythmias have no known cause, but coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stress and many other factors are known to increase one’s likelihood of developing the condition. Depending on the severity of the conditions, doctors can recommend a variety of treatments such medication, lifestyle changes, invasive therapies, electrical devices or surgery. In minor cases, no treatment is necessary.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Arrhythmias are often difficult to diagnose. Methods used to detect arrhythmias include analysis of family and medical history, physical exams, and diagnostic tests and procedures, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Dulcinea's Picks
For overviews …
The Cleveland Clinic
’s arrhythmia page has a series of articles describing all aspects of irregular heart rhythm. There’s an overview of healthy hearts, information on the causes of irregular heart rhythm, what it is, what varieties exist, symptoms, how it’s diagnosed and how it’s treated. Descriptions are accompanied by useful illustrations and diagrams.
For an interactive tutorial …
MedlinePlus
has a tutorial that covers arrhythmia’s symptoms, causes, risks, diagnosis and prevention over the course of nearly 100 narrated slides.
For organizations …
The Heart Rhythm Society
is a professional group that represents “the allied specialties of cardiac pacing and cardiac electrophysiology.” The society is actively involved in encouraging education about and awareness of conditions involving heartbeat irregularities, and advocating its members for governmental regulation.
For the latest research …
Heart Rhythm
, the official research journal of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), has articles by top scholars, physicians and researchers on the latest developments in heart rhythm. Access to full text articles requires a subscription.
For a specialist …
The Heart Rhythm Society
has a directory to help patients locate a specialist in their area.
Heart Failure
Symptoms of heart failure include regular shortness of breath, swelling in the legs or lower back, and general tiredness. The disease affects roughly 4.6 million Americans and each year 550,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Hospital Web sites often provide quality health information about the conditions they treat. Usually these descriptions contain thorough treatment information, as the content is geared toward prospective patients. One example is the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, which hosts introductory information about congestive heart failure.
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For an introduction to heart failure …
The Cleveland Clinic
has a quality overview of heart failure, one that puts emphasis on available treatment options. Also noteworthy are the “Learn More” links (scroll down the page to find these), which direct users to articles on topics as diverse as experimental treatments and related conditions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Web site has a detailed fact sheet on heart failure. Facts include annual deaths (more than 287,000), the number of sufferers nationwide (roughly 5 million), and the estimated annual direct cost for heart failure ($29.6 billion).
For women …
The Cleveland Clinic
hosts the Center for Women and Heart Failure whose “goal is to focus more attention on women in heart failure research so that we can eventually tailor therapy to meet individual needs.” The Web site examines the heart failure issues specific to women as well as causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and the prognosis/outlook for the future.
For information on congestive heart failure …
MedlinePlus
has a series of interactive, narrated tutorial slide shows for a variety of diseases. This 92-slide tutorial on congestive heart failure covers the heart, heart failure overviews, symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment options and medications.
For tips on coping with heart failure …
The Cleveland Clinic
offers guidelines for a coping/recovery regimen after being diagnosed with heart failure. Advice includes ways to conserve energy and take care of emotional health as well as how to safely return to work or travel worry free.
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