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Heart arrhythmia warning signs

Heart arrhythmia can mean merely be an irregular heartbeat. It's caused by a dysfunction in the electrical signals that control when your heart beats. Some heart arrhythmias cause mild symptoms and don't need treatment. However, others can be life-threatening.

At its most basic, heart arrhythmia merely means an irregular heartbeat. However, many heart arrhythmia symptoms can be warning signs that you should seek treatment or screening.

"If a symptom is serious — so a sudden collapse or loss of consciousness — that's immediate attendance to an emergency department," says Dr. Behr. Likewise, having a racing heart (palpitations) and associated dizziness and lightheadedness is another reason to go to the emergency department straightaway.

If you experience chest pain, consider emergency care. Seek testing for heart palpitation symptoms that are less frequent and less severe.

"The other thing that's a red flag, in particular in young patients, is if there's a family history of concern," Dr. Behr says. Someone may not have any heart problems yet. But knowing that there's a family history may prompt a person to get screenings or seek treatment if symptoms develop. Red flags include having a family member who had a premature or sudden death at a young age and a family history of inherited heart problems.

Learn about arrhythmia warning signs in this Mayo Clinic Minute, featuring Elijah R. Behr, M.D., a consultant cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare, located in London.

Jason Howland, moderator: Some symptoms that you might expect for heart arrhythmia are often red flags for seeking treatment or screening.

Elijah Behr, M.D., Cardiovascular Disease Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London: If a symptom is serious — so a sudden collapse or loss of consciousness — that's immediate attendance to an emergency department. Likewise, if one's having palpitations — so the heart racing away unexpectedly — and associated dizziness, lightheadedness, another reason to go to the emergency department straightaway.

Jason Howland: Chest pain also can be an obvious sign and may require emergency care.

Some heart palpitation symptoms may be less frequent and severe, but still should be assessed by a health care clinician.

Elijah Behr, M.D. The other thing that's a red flag, in particular in young patients, is if there's a family history of concern. Accepting that that person may not have any history of heart problems themselves already, if they know that there is a family history of somebody at a young age having had a premature or sudden death, or if there's a family history of inherited heart problems, then that may flag up that there is a potential risk if somebody is having symptoms or may actually just need screening from the point of view of preventing risk before they develop symptoms.

Jason Howland: For the Mayo Clinic News Network, I'm Jason Howland.