What causes cardiac arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate or rhythm, and includes bradycardia, which is when the heart beats too slowly, or tachycardia which is when it beats too fast, or fibrillation which is the most serious form of arrhythmia where the heart beats fast and in an uncoordinated pattern. While most people have an occasional heart flutter, about 4 million Americans have recurrent arrhythmia according to the Texas Heart Institute.CausesCardiac arrhythmia can be congenital meaning you are born with the condition, or it can be caused by heart disease, high blood pressure or hypertension, or blood chemistry imbalances, endocrine imbalances or a heart attack.Other CausesSometimes cardiac arrhythmias are caused by substances such as amphetamines, caffeine, cocaine, alcohol, smoking, beta blockers, psychotropics, sympathomimetics or even over-the-counter cough or cold medicines.
