ARRHYTHMIAS

Every time passion sets your heart aflutter or excitement sets it pounding, you’re getting a taste of what it feels like to have an arrhythmia. The most typical arrhythmia is rapid heartbeat or atrial fibrillation (AFib), which affects some 2 million Americans. Though many arrhythmias have no known cause, common risk factors include high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, smoking, stress, excessive use of alcohol or caffeine, and drug abuse. Some prescription and over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements and herbal remedies are also known to cause an irregular heartbeat in some people.