Heart disease is a major cause of arrhythmia, due to lack of blood flow and heart tissue damage.

• Coronary artery disease (CAD) restricts blood flow to the heart due to narrowed arteries. This can lead to heart tissue death myocardial infarction, or heart attack and scarring.

• Cardiomyopathy occurs when the ventricle walls stretch and enlarge (dilated cardiomyopathy) or when the left ventricle wall thickens and constricts (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This decreases the heart's ability to pump and often leads to heart tissue damage. Unlike other muscles in the body, the heart grows weaker, not stronger, as it becomes larger.

• Valvular heart diseases. If the heart valves leak or narrow, the heart can become stretched and thickened, leading to an increased chance of arrhythmia.

Complications of Arrhythmias

• Stroke- If the atria fibrillate, they can't pump blood effectively. The blood may pool and form clots which can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

• Congestive heart failure - This can occur if the heart is pumping ineffectively over a long period of time.

More on this topic

What are Arrhythmias? (VIDEO)
What Makes Your Heart Beat?
Blood's Pathway
The Electric Heart
Symptoms of Arrhythmia
Heart Disease & Arrhythmia
Risk Factors
Testing & Diagnosis
Resetting the Heart's Rhythm
A Heart Healthy Lifestyle

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