Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Arrhythmia): What Are The Causes And Risk Factors?

"Arrhythmia" is an umbrella term for abnormal heartbeats — they can be too fast, too slow, or irregular. While some arrhythmias are harmless, others can cause symptoms that range from irritating to life-threatening, and some can be risk factors for deadly medical conditions like strokes.

It doesn’t help that many of the risk factors for arrhythmia, such as age, are also risk factors for serious conditions like stroke. Arrhythmia can occur in both children and adults, although it’s more common in adults; one study concluded that about two percent of adults have an arrhythmia, raising to more than five percent for those over 65. Thus, it’s important for everyone to know what the risk factors for arrhythmia are, especially as they grow older. 

Arrhythmia sounds dangerous, but what can I expect as symptoms? 

An arrhythmia may have no symptoms — in which case it may only be discovered by a doctor during a check-up. However, you may notice skips in beats or feel your heart beating more slowly than normal, or your heart may race or pound without an apparent cause (such as exercise).

If you have some of the more serious symptoms, an arrhythmia could present with:

• Anxiety and clouded thoughts
• Trouble seeing
• Chest pain
• Troubled breathing
• Fatigue, weakness, or dizziness
• Almost fainting or fainting

If I want to avoid arrhythmia, what can I do? How can I prevent it?

It’s almost impossible to entirely avoid all the risk factors and causes for arrhythmia, and it’s possible to get an arrhythmia even if you do avoid them. However, staying heart-healthy can go a long way towards avoiding an arrhythmia, and even small changes to your lifestyle can help. Here are some of the risk factors and causes of arrhythmia.

1. Heart-unhealthy eating

It’s hard to eat healthy, especially when your coworker brings in some sugary snacks or you want seconds at a birthday party. Still, a healthy diet is one of the most basic steps you can take to care for your health, and it really does help reduce the risk of arrhythmias.

Try to avoid:

• Sodium (no more than 2300 mg a day)
• Saturated and trans fat (such as popcorn, fatty meat, and butter)
• Added sugars (like soda and cake)

Instead, it’s best to try to increase your intake of vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, and vegetable oils. Eating a diet like this can reduce your risk of heart disease (which can include arrhythmias) by 31 percent, in addition to reducing your risk of stroke and diabetes. This means it not only helps you reduce arrhythmia risk but also the risk of other dangerous heart conditions.

2. Being overweight

It may seem obvious that having a larger body and more weight increases the strain on your heart and boosts your odds of high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for arrhythmias and other heart conditions. However, you don’t need to be obese for your weight to affect your risk of arrhythmia. One study found that gaining even just 20 pounds after age 20 can greatly increase your risk of heart disease. Of course, not everyone is able to immediately lose a lot of weight, but even losing a few pounds can help reduce your risk of arrhythmias and other health conditions. 

3. Too much stress

Stress is often a natural and unavoidable part of life. Chronic and intense stress, however, are bad news. A very emotional event can trigger certain cardiovascular events, like heart attacks, but stress can also contribute to high blood pressure and other heart complications — eventually indirectly leading to arrhythmia. Some good ways to reduce stress are staying active, talking with friends or family, and practicing medication. Another option may be to visit a therapist or another professional. 

4. Drinking and smoking

Smoking and drinking are both risk factors for heart diseases like arrhythmias. It’s no surprise that alcohol and smoking are unhealthy, but they not only increase your risk of arrhythmias but can also worsen other risk factors that contribute to arrhythmias. However, quitting smoking still allows you to reduce some of that risk, even if you were a smoker before. Alcohol-wise, women should ideally have no more than one standard drink a day, while men should set two as their limit. If you find it difficult to reduce your smoking or drinking, it might be best to find a nearby support group or get help from family. Your doctor can also help.

5. Sedentary lifestyle

Even if you aren’t overweight, it’s important to stay active. Being active reduces your risk of heart disease, and it was also found that sitting for too long can increase the risk of heart diseases. If you think exercising might present a health risk for you, it’s best to talk to your doctor about what exercise plan is best for you. 

6. Age

Although children and young adults can get arrhythmias as well, the risk greatly rises with age. Changes to the heart make it more prone to arrhythmias, and also worsen other conditions that are risk factors for arrhythmias. For example, when one becomes older than 65, the risk that they may develop an arrhythmia doubles. 

7. Congenital defects, other conditions, and genetic risks

A number of congenital heart defects, as well as ancestry and sex, can increase your risk of arrhythmia. Certain hereditary heart diseases are risk factors for arrhythmias, as well as gene mutations that cause the heart to work improperly. Some studies suggest that Caucasian American men have a higher risk of arrhythmias compared to African American men and Caucasian women. A number of other conditions that can cause or increase the risk of arrhythmias, as well, although some aren’t congenital. These can include heart attacks, autoimmune disorders, narrowed heart valves, and heart failure.

8. Medicines and surgery

Certain medications can cause arrhythmias, in addition to some heart surgeries. Scarring inside the heart can sometimes interrupt the normal operation of the heart, causing an arrhythmia. However, your medication should not be changed without consulting a professional first. Changing your medication suddenly and without proper guidance can endanger you more than the arrhythmia.