Arrythmia Causes and Risk Factors

Causes of arrhythmia
Any heart condition that changes the structure of the heart can lead to arrhythmia development, mainly from:

• An inadequate amount of blood
• Damage to or death of heart tissue

Changes in the structure of the heart may come from:

• Cardiomyopathy
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Valvular heart diseases

For people with a normal, healthy hearts however, long-lasting arrhythmia does not usually develop without an outside trigger, such as an electrical shock or the use of illicit drugs. However, in a diseased or deformed heart, the heart's electrical impulses may not travel through the heart properly, making arrhythmias more likely to develop. Many things can lead to, or cause, an arrhythmia, including:

• Diabetes
• Dietary supplements and herbal treatments
• Drug abuse
• Excessive alcohol or caffeine intake
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Medications
• Overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
• Scarring of heart tissue (such as from a heart attack)
• Smoking
• Stress

Strong emotional stress or anger can make the heart work harder, raise blood pressure, and release stress hormones. In some people, these reactions can lead to arrhythmias.  But what are the symptoms of arrhythmia? And when should you seek medical help? The next section allows us to explore various symptoms of arrythmia that may present themselves during arrhythmic episodes.