Different Types of Arrhythmia You May Experience
Learn more about different types of arrhythmia

Ventricular tachycardia (V-tach). This can be a serious arrhythmia, especially in people with heart disease, and may be associated with more symptoms. A heart doctor should evaluate this arrhythmia. This type of arrhythmia is characterized by rapid heart rhythm originating from the lower chambers (or ventricles) of the heart. The rapid rate prevents the heart from filling adequately with blood and less blood is able to pump through the body.

Ventricular fibrillation. The primary symptom is an erratic, disorganized firing of impulses from the ventricles. The ventricles quiver and are unable to contract or pump blood to the body. This is a medical emergency that must be treated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation as soon as possible.

Long QT syndrome. This is where the heart may take longer than normal to recover between heartbeats. It can be treated with antiarrhythmic drugs, pacemaker, electrical cardioversion, defibrillation, implanted cardioverter/defibrillator or ablation therapy.

Bradyarrhythmias. Patients with this type of arrhythmia experience slow heart rhythms, which may arise from disease in the heart's electrical conduction system. Examples include sinus node dysfunction and heart block.

Heart block. A delay or complete block of the electrical impulse as it travels from the sinus node to the ventricles. The level of the block or delay may occur in the AV node or HIS-Purkinje system. The heart may beat irregularly and, often, more slowly. If serious, heart block is treated with a pacemaker.

Premature atrial contractions. These are early extra beats that originate in the atria (upper chambers of the heart). They are harmless and do not require treatment.

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). The most common form of arrhythmia without signs of heart disease, this is the skipped heartbeat we all occasionally experience. In some people, it can be related to stress, too much caffeine or nicotine, or too much exercise. Sometimes, PVCs can be caused by heart disease or electrolyte imbalance.

Atrial fibrillation. This is a very common irregular heart rhythm that causes the atria, the upper chambers of the heart to contract abnormally.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). Patients with this form of disorder experience a rapid heart rate, usually with a regular rhythm, originating from above the ventricles. PSVT begins and ends suddenly. There are two main types: accessory path tachycardias and AV nodal reentrant tachycardias.

Accessory pathway tachycardias. Characterized by rapid heart rate due to an extra abnormal pathway or connection between the atria and the ventricles. The impulses travel through the extra pathways as well as through the usual route. This allows the impulses to travel around the heart very quickly, causing the heart to beat unusually fast.

AV nodal reentrant tachycardia. The symptoms include a rapid heart rate due to more than one pathway through the AV node. It can cause heart palpitations, fainting or heart failure. In many cases, it can be terminated using a simple maneuver performed by a trained medical professional, medications or a pacemaker.