Like any other muscle in our body, the heart needs to be taken care of. Before exercise we stretch and lossen up our muscles to prevent injury to them and although the precuationary measures we take for our heart are different, they are still important. To lower one's risk of heart disease one should make sure to have low cholesterol and blood pressure, moderate amounts of physical activity, and one should refrain from smoking tobacco or drinking excessively.



The heart is a muscle that pumps blood to the rest of the body and is comprised of four chambers: two ventricles, and two atrials. When you feel your heart beat, you are feeling the contraction of your heart muscle. This should be regular, but when there is an irregularity it is called an arrythmia.

Arrythmias are usually not indicative of a serious heart condition but should be cuase for cencern if they are frequent or prolonged. Usually however, an arrythmia is due to caffiene, exercise, excitement, fear, or medication. In these instances a slight or occational disturbance in one's regular heartbeat should not be a cause for concern.

Most heart rhythm disturbances are transitory and a doctor does not need to be seen about them. For example, exercise can speed up your heart rate as can too much caffeine and certain medications. Your heart rate may also speed up during times of fear or excitement. An arrhythmia becomes dangerous when it is frequent or chronic. The seriousness of an arrythmia depends not just on symptoms, like faintness or dizziness, but have more to do with the presence of important abnormal structural conditions of the heart and/or heart disease.

There are two types of arrhythmia one can suffer from. These two types are: atrial fibrillation, and ventricular fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is when your heart beats rapidly causing symptoms such as palpitations, rapid heart beat, chest discomfort, shortness of breath and dizziness. Ventricular fibrillation is an arrhythmia that originates in the ventricles or pumping chambers and usually occurs in people who have a damaged heart, frequently the result of a heart attack. Because ventricular fibrillation is so rapid and is occurring in a damaged heart, the heart may not function properly or efficiently and this arrhythmia can be fatal.

To help with arrythmia preventative medication can be taken such as beta blockers or drugs that reduce blood clots. Pacemakers may also be used and these monitor and regulate heart beat. Before resorting to medication however, preventative lifestyle changes can also be made such as exercise, limited intake of alcohol, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

If one feels they suffer from arrythmia, a doctor should be seen. Since it is hard for the average person to know if their arrhythmia is dangerous, cardiology specialists called electrophysiologists use the most advanced technology to detect, diagnose and treat arrhythmias. Arrhythmias that cannot be treated and controlled by medication, or by pacemakers can often be completely cured through a minimally invasive procedure called cardiac ablation.