The healthy heart is a finely tuned instrument, beating in a very predictable manner throughout life. It is so predictable, in fact, that your cardiologist can determine a great deal about its health simply by looking at the paper tracing produced during an electrocardiogram (ECG) as the pumping action tenders easily recognised waves and blips. But this rhythm can become abnormal in a number of ways.

Just as there are a vast array of arrhythmias, there are a large number of drugs from which your doctor may choose. Some of the medications are specifically designed to treat arrhythmias, while others control heartbeat as one of their functions. The beta-blockers, for example, not only slow the rate of the heartbeat, but control its rhythm as well. It may be necessary for you and your doctor to experiment with more than just one of those potential drugs before finding the ideal treatment. Your doctor may choose not to prescribe any anti-arrhythmic agent at all, even though you are uncomfortable with the arrhythmias you experience. That’s because studies have shown serious problems with certain drugs, and there has been question as to the value of medications to treat arrhythmias that are not life-threatening. Again, it’s a matter of teamwork, and it’s important for you to follow the prescription to the letter rather than deciding on your own that you need more today or less tomorrow.

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Cardio & Blood/ Cholesterol