Heart arrhythmia warning signs
Heart arrhythmia can mean merely be an irregular heartbeat. It's caused by a dysfunction in the electrical signals that control when your heart beats. Some heart arrhythmias cause mild symptoms and don't need treatment. However, others can be life-threatening.
At its most basic, heart arrhythmia merely means an irregular heartbeat. However, many heart arrhythmia symptoms can be warning signs that you should seek treatment or screening.
“If a symptom is serious — so a sudden collapse or loss of consciousness — that's immediate attendance to an emergency department,” says Dr. Behr. Likewise, having a racing heart (palpitations) and associated dizziness and lightheadedness is another reason to go to the emergency department straightaway.
If you experience chest pain, consider emergency care. Seek testing for heart palpitation symptoms that are less frequent and less severe.
“The other thing that's a red flag, in particular in young patients, is if there's a family history of concern,” Dr. Behr says. Someone may not have any heart problems yet. But knowing that there's a family history may prompt a person to get screenings or seek treatment if symptoms develop. Red flags include having a family member who had a premature or sudden death at a young age and a family history of inherited heart problems.