Treatments for arrhythmias can vary depending on the cause and the extent to which your health or lifestyle is affected.
Appropriate treatments can include simple lifestyle modifications, medicines, implantable medical devices and surgical or other procedures.
Medicines
Several medicines are available that slow down a very fast heartbeat (tachycardia), including anti-arrhythmic medicine and beta-blockers. They may be used for short or long term.
Medicines may also be used to treat other types of arrhythmias.
Artificial pacemakers
Artificial pacemakers are usually given to people with a slow heartbeat (bradycardia).
Like a normal heart's electrical system, an artificial pacemaker uses small electrical currents to stimulate your heart muscle and make it pump regularly.
Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs)
Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) are small devices that can be put into your chest and connected to your heart to monitor and correct your heartbeat. They are sometimes given to people who are at risk of dangerous heart arrhythmias.
Cardioversion
Cardioversion may be used to return the heart to a normal rhythm if you have a long or serious episode of atrial fibrillation.
In electrical cardioversion, your heart is given an electrical shock (while you are under an anaesthetic) to help restore a normal heart rhythm and reduce long term risks associated with atrial fibrillation.
In pharmacological cardioversion, medicines are used to return your heart to a normal rhythm.
Catheter ablation
In catheter ablation procedures, a long, thin tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel in the leg and threaded through the vessel until the tip reaches the heart. At the tip of the catheter is an electrode, which can emit radiofrequency waves to burn and inactivate the area(s) of the heart responsible for creating or passing abnormal signals.
Surgery
In some cases, arrhythmias can be treated by surgically removing the sections of the heart muscle that are malfunctioning. Although not commonly used, surgery can be very effective in treating some arrhythmias.