Douglas Zipes, M.D., Indiana University
Question: What is an arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)?
Answer :The heart beats 70 or so times a minute when an individual is at rest. But the heart is not a Swiss watch. It does not beat with unerring regularity. And occasionally, it has hiccups. So, the heartbeat may get too slow, it may get too fast, and, on occasion, it can be irregular. The impact of this arrhythmia -- that is, an abnormal heart rhythm -- may be trivial or indeed, when severe, can cause sudden death. So, the arrhythmia is a term that indicates an irregularity in the rhythm of the heartbeat.
