A cardiac arrhythmia, often pronounced as uh-RITH-me-uh, signifies an irregular heartbeat. It transpires when the electrical signals governing the heart's rhythm malfunction, resulting in a heartbeat that can be either too rapid or too sluggish, or display an erratic pattern.

Heart arrhythmias may be experienced as sensations of fluttering, pounding, or rapid heartbeats. While some of these irregular rhythms are benign, others can lead to severe, even life-threatening symptoms.

There are situations where variations in heart rate are considered normal, such as during exercise when the heart accelerates, or during sleep when it slows down.

The management of heart arrhythmias may encompass the use of medications, the implementation of devices like pacemakers, or various procedures and surgical interventions. The primary objective of treatment is to regulate or eliminate fast, slow, or erratic heart rhythms. Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can also be instrumental in averting heart damage that might trigger certain types of arrhythmias.

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