Causes of heart blocks. A heart block occurs when there is an interruption in the signal from the upper chambers of the heart to the lower chambers. The atria, the upper chambers of your heart, send electrical signals to the ventricles, the lower chambers. The signal passes through your AV node, which is a collection of cells that connects your top and bottom chambers’ electrical activity. The signal only reaches your ventricles occasionally, if at all, if you have heart block.
CAUSES OF HEART BLOCKS
A heart block occurs when the signal from your heart’s upper chamber does not reach the lower chamber. Only sometimes or never at all may the signal pass through. This causes your heart to skip beats or beat more slowly. The symptoms of second- or third-degree heart block can include fatigue, shortness of breath, and fainting.
Signs
The degree of heart block and how it impacts the heart pump determine the symptoms.
Chest pain is one of the signs of a heart block. Tiredness. breathlessness. Heart palpitations. breathing quickly. Nausea. Dizziness. Fainting.
First-degree heart block patients might not exhibit any symptoms. When doing a regular ECG, a healthcare provider may discover first-degree heart block.
The sluggish heartbeat exacerbates the symptoms of third-degree heart block. You should seek medical help immediately if your symptoms are severe.
Causes
Among the causes of heart block include heart attacks. disease of the coronary arteries (CAD). heart muscle illness. disorders of the heart valves. Your conduction system is scarred for an unidentified reason. structural problems with your heart that have existed since birth.
Open heart surgery can cause harm to the heart. adverse drug reactions (from beta-blockers, digitalis, and calcium channel blockers).
toxicity exposure.
Treatment
Individual differences exist in the therapy of heart block. You might be admitted to the hospital by a provider to have your heart monitored. Your doctor will take into account the following to treat your condition:
Which heart block type do you have?
Your heart block’s severity.
How it impacts the function of your heart.
the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Sometimes heart block is prevented by altering medications or heart disease treatments. Other patients could require a pacemaker, which is a device that pumps electricity into their hearts, either permanently or temporarily.
Block in the first degree: You most likely won’t require therapy.
Second-degree block: Type 1 may not require treatment. In order to maintain a regular heartbeat, you could require a temporary or permanent pacemaker if you experience symptoms.
Prevention
Certain causes of heart block, such as heart disease, may be preventable.
You can take the following actions to maintain the best possible health for your body and heart:
Practice heart-healthy living. This includes consuming heart-healthy foods, exercising frequently, getting enough sleep every night, managing stress, using alcohol in moderation, abstaining from smoking, and abstaining from recreational drugs.
Discuss your prescription drugs and other dietary supplements with your healthcare physician. They can examine your medications to determine whether any of them alter the typical amounts of specific chemicals in your body. (Your heart’s electrical system depends on potassium, calcium, and magnesium.) If necessary, your doctor may switch your prescription to a different drug class.
Summary
Pain in the chest or difficulty breathing can be frightening. However, receiving a diagnosis of heart block can help you understand why you’re having those symptoms. Good news! People who require treatment can benefit from medications or pacemakers that maintain a regular heartbeat. When talking with your provider about your treatment plan, make sure to ask questions about anything that is unclear.