Condition Lookup

Ventricular Tachycardia (VT)

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
rapid heartbeat; chest pain; dizziness; shortness of breath; loss of consciousness; palpitations

Root Cause:
Abnormal electrical signals originating in the ventricles cause rapid and ineffective contractions, impairing blood flow.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), Holter monitor, cardiac MRI, or electrophysiology study.

Treatment:
Antiarrhythmic medications, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), or catheter ablation.

Medications:
Amiodarone (antiarrhythmic), lidocaine (sodium channel blocker), beta-blockers (e.g., carvedilol ), or magnesium sulfate (for Torsades de Pointes).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare in the general population; more common in patients with underlying heart disease or structural abnormalities.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Coronary artery disease, heart failure, previous myocardial infarction, electrolyte imbalances, and genetic conditions (e.g., long QT syndrome).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Can be life-threatening if untreated, but ICDs and medical therapy significantly improve survival.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Sudden cardiac arrest, heart failure, and syncope.

Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
sudden collapse; loss of consciousness; no pulse; agonal gasping (abnormal breathing)

Root Cause:
Disorganized electrical activity in the ventricles causes ineffective pumping and cessation of blood flow.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) during cardiac arrest.

Treatment:
Immediate defibrillation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and treatment of underlying causes (e.g., coronary artery disease).

Medications:
Epinephrine (to support circulation), amiodarone or lidocaine (antiarrhythmics), and magnesium sulfate (for Torsades de Pointes).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Primary cause of sudden cardiac death, with approximately 300,000 cases annually in the U.S.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and electrolyte imbalances.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Poor without immediate intervention; survival improves significantly with early defibrillation and CPR.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Brain damage due to lack of oxygen, recurrent VF, and death.

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
irregular or rapid heartbeat; palpitations; shortness of breath; fatigue; dizziness; chest pain

Root Cause:
Abnormal electrical signals in the atria cause them to beat irregularly and out of sync with the ventricles.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), Holter monitor, echocardiogram, stress tests, or event recorders.

Treatment:
Rate control (medications), rhythm control (medications or cardioversion), catheter ablation, and lifestyle modifications (e.g., weight loss, avoiding triggers).

Medications:
Beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol ), calcium channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem ), antiarrhythmics (e.g., amiodarone ), and anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin , apixaban , or rivaroxaban ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 1–2% of the global population, with increasing prevalence in individuals over 65 years of age.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, obesity, diabetes, alcohol consumption, and hyperthyroidism.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With appropriate management, patients can maintain a good quality of life, but the condition increases the risk of stroke and heart failure.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Stroke, heart failure, blood clots, and cardiomyopathy.

Atrial Flutter

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
rapid heart rate; palpitations; shortness of breath; fatigue; lightheadedness; chest discomfort

Root Cause:
Abnormal electrical signals in the atria create a "sawtooth" rhythm, leading to rapid and organized contractions.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), Holter monitor, or electrophysiology study.

Treatment:
Cardioversion, catheter ablation, rate control, and rhythm control with medications or procedures.

Medications:
Calcium channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem ), beta-blockers (e.g., atenolol ), anticoagulants (e.g., dabigatran or warfarin ), and antiarrhythmics (e.g., sotalol or flecainide ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Less common than AFib, with an estimated prevalence of 0.1–1% in the general population, more common in older adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Advanced age, hypertension, previous heart surgery, structural heart disease, and thyroid dysfunction.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Often treatable, especially with catheter ablation, but recurrence is possible without intervention.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Stroke, heart failure, and progression to atrial fibrillation.

Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
rapid heartbeat; palpitations; dizziness; shortness of breath; chest tightness; fainting (syncope)

Root Cause:
Rapid electrical activity originating above the ventricles, often due to reentrant circuits or accessory pathways.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), Holter monitor, event recorder, or electrophysiology study.

Treatment:
Vagal maneuvers, cardioversion, catheter ablation, and lifestyle modifications (e.g., avoiding stimulants like caffeine).

Medications:
Adenosine (acute episodes), beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol ), calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil ), and antiarrhythmics (e.g., flecainide ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Estimated at 2.25 per 1,000 people, with a higher prevalence in women and younger individuals.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Structural heart abnormalities, accessory pathways (e.g., Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome), thyroid dysfunction, and caffeine or stimulant use.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Usually benign and treatable, especially with catheter ablation, but recurrent episodes can affect quality of life.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Heart failure, syncope, or progression to more severe arrhythmias.

Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs)

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
heart palpitations; irregular heartbeat; skipped beats; mild chest discomfort; anxiety

Root Cause:
Early electrical impulses in the atria disrupt the normal heart rhythm.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), Holter monitor, or event monitor.

Treatment:
Usually benign and requires no treatment; lifestyle changes or beta-blockers for symptomatic cases.

Medications:
Beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol ) are sometimes used to reduce symptoms in symptomatic patients.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common and often asymptomatic; prevalence increases with age and in individuals with heart disease.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Stress, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, electrolyte imbalances, and structural heart disease.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Benign in most cases but may precede more significant arrhythmias like AFib.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Rare; may progress to atrial fibrillation or cause significant symptoms in predisposed individuals.

Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
palpitations or a fluttering sensation in the chest; skipped or extra heartbeats; lightheadedness; occasionally asymptomatic

Root Cause:
Abnormal electrical impulses originating in the ventricles disrupt the heart's normal rhythm, causing premature heartbeats.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Electrocardiogram (ECG), Holter monitor, event monitor, or exercise stress test.

Treatment:
Lifestyle changes (e.g., reducing caffeine or alcohol), stress management, beta-blockers, or catheter ablation for severe cases.

Medications:
Beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol , atenolol ) may be prescribed to reduce the frequency of PVCs. Antiarrhythmic drugs (e.g., flecainide , amiodarone ) may also be used in more severe cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
PVCs are common and may occur in healthy individuals or those with heart conditions; up to 50-60% of adults experience them.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Stress, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, electrolyte imbalances, heart disease, and certain medications.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally benign in healthy individuals but may indicate underlying heart disease if frequent or symptomatic.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Rarely, frequent PVCs can lead to cardiomyopathy or heart failure.

Sick Sinus Syndrome

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
fatigue; dizziness; syncope (fainting); bradycardia or tachycardia; shortness of breath; palpitations

Root Cause:
Dysfunction of the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's natural pacemaker, causing irregular heart rhythms (bradycardia, tachycardia, or alternating rhythms).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
ECG, Holter monitoring, event monitoring, or electrophysiological studies.

Treatment:
Pacemaker implantation is the primary treatment; antiarrhythmic medications may be needed for tachyarrhythmias.

Medications:
For tachyarrhythmias, beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol ), calcium channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem ), or antiarrhythmics (e.g., amiodarone ) may be prescribed.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in the elderly, with increasing prevalence due to aging; estimated to affect 1 in 600 cardiac patients over age 65.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Aging, heart disease, hypothyroidism, electrolyte imbalances, and certain medications (e.g., beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
With a pacemaker, most individuals live normal lives, though it may indicate underlying cardiac conditions.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Syncope, heart failure, stroke (due to tachyarrhythmias like atrial fibrillation).

Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW)

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
palpitations; dizziness; shortness of breath; chest pain; syncope; rapid heart rate (tachycardia)

Root Cause:
Presence of an extra electrical pathway (accessory pathway) in the heart leads to episodes of tachycardia or pre-excitation.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
ECG showing a shortened PR interval and delta waves, electrophysiological testing, or Holter monitoring.

Treatment:
Catheter ablation is the preferred treatment; vagal maneuvers and medications may control acute episodes.

Medications:
Antiarrhythmic drugs (e.g., procainamide or flecainide ) may be used to manage symptoms. Beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers are avoided if atrial fibrillation is present.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, occurring in about 1-3 per 1,000 people; often diagnosed in younger individuals.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Congenital condition; family history may play a role.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent with catheter ablation; untreated WPW may lead to life-threatening arrhythmias.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Sudden cardiac arrest, atrial fibrillation, or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).

Brugada Syndrome

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
syncope; palpitations; seizures; sudden cardiac arrest, often during sleep or rest

Root Cause:
Genetic mutation affecting sodium channels in the heart, leading to abnormal electrical activity and increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
ECG (coved ST-segment elevation in leads V1-V3), genetic testing, or drug challenge tests.

Treatment:
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is the primary treatment; lifestyle changes and avoidance of triggers (e.g., fever, certain medications).

Medications:
Quinidine (antiarrhythmic) may be used to reduce arrhythmias in patients not eligible for an ICD.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, affecting 1 in 5,000 to 10,000 individuals; more common in Southeast Asian populations.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Male sex, family history, fever, and certain medications.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; high risk of sudden cardiac death without treatment, but good outcomes with an ICD.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Sudden cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation.

Heart Block

Specialty: Cardiovascular

Category: Heart Diseases

Sub-category: Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Symptoms:
fatigue; dizziness; fainting; shortness of breath; bradycardia

Root Cause:
Impaired electrical conduction between the atria and ventricles, ranging from delayed conduction (first-degree) to complete block (third-degree).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
ECG, Holter monitoring, or electrophysiological studies.

Treatment:
May include pacemaker implantation for symptomatic or advanced cases.

Medications:
No specific medications for heart block, but beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers may worsen conduction delays. Pacemakers manage severe cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
First-degree block

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Aging, heart disease, electrolyte imbalances, Lyme disease, and medications (e.g., digoxin, beta-blockers).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
First-degree has an excellent prognosis. Advanced blocks require pacemaker but can allow a normal life.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Syncope, heart failure, or sudden cardiac arrest in severe cases.