What are the different types of arrhythmia?
There are many types of arrhythmia. With some, the heart beats too fast (tachycardia), with others it beats too slow (bradycardia). Sometimes, the heartbeat is erratic or irregular. You can have fast heart rates that are regular and irregular. Some arrhythmias last for only one or two beats, and some continue for a long time.
Common Abnormal Heart Rhythms
Atrial Arrhythmias, irregular heart beats of atrium
- Atrial fibrillation, irregular contraction of atria
- Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
- Persistent atrial fibrillation
- Long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation
- Permanent or chronic atrial fibrillation
- Atrial tachycardia, a fast heart rate that starts in the atriums
- Premature atrial contractions, early extra heart beats that start in ventricles
- Sinus node disease or dysfunction, abnormal heart rhythms by malfunction of the heart’s primary pacemaker, sinus node
- Supraventricular tachycardia, an example of very fast heart rate related to malfunction of the sinus node
- AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia, subset of supraventricular tachycardia (very fast circuity in heart rate)
Ventricular Arrhythmias, irregular heart beats of ventricles
- Premature ventricular contractions, early extra beats that start in ventricles
- Ventricular tachycardia, fast heart rate that starts in the ventricles
- Ventricular fibrillation (v-fib), fast rhythm disturbance of the lower chambers of heart
- Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) or accessory pathway between the atria and ventricles
- Ventricular dyssynchrony (irregular conduction pattern)
Other rhythm or rate arrhythmias
- Long QT syndrome or LQTS, heart rhythm condition which causes abnormal or fast, irregular heartbeats
- Torsades de pointes, very lethal arrhythmia
- Short QT syndrome
- heart block or bradycardia, a slow heart rate