How Long Can You Live with an Irregular Heartbeat?
Look inside arrhythmia and you’ll find the word rhythm. It’s a word that has a lot of special meaning for people who tend to be blessed with the stuff. Good dancers, good drummers, and so on – they all know how to lock in with the beat and move / play with the rhythm instead of against it. You’ve probably heard the expression ‘Friends don’t let friends clap on 1 and 3’. It’s kind of apt when we’re talking about making sure rhythm is understood and respected. Let’s expand on this to now say your heart beats with a rhythm too, and it also needs to be on beat. How long can you live with irregular heartbeat?
With rhythm in music, it’s important not to get ahead of the beat or fall behind it. Turns out that’s the same with your heart too, as an irregular heartbeat can be an accelerated heartbeat (tachycardia) or one that’s not beating fast enough (bradycardia). Perhaps the first question needs to be is irregular heartbeat serious? It is serious, and the first and foremost reason is that it can be an indication of a coming heart attack. A stroke is also a possibility, but the good news is that much of the time an irregular heartbeat isn’t a problem.
So how long can you live with irregular heartbeat is a bit of an odd question to have to answer. And that’s because you can live your entire life and not die so much as one day earlier because of an irregular heartbeat. But at the same time your lifespan could be a whole lot shorter if you have one, and that’s why it’s important to be able to assess your irregular heartbeat and look for danger signs that mean you should get in to see a doctor about it.
Be on Watch
People who experience episodes of tachycardia along with chest pain, sweating, and/or difficulty breathing are likely the ones most at risk of a cardiac arrest resulting from an irregular heartbeat. They’re the ones who will have the most reason to ask how long can you live with irregular heartbeat, and for good reason. This risk factor is doubled or even tripled if the person is aware they’re having heart palpitations at the same time as their heartbeat is racing.
Many of the new smartwatches that people wear these days have a heart rate monitor, and if that’s you and you have irregular heartbeat concerns then you can also monitor if your heart beats too slowly with bradycardia too. If you see it go below 60bpm regularly then that’s also reason enough to see a doctor. There’s no connection here to how long can you live with irregular heartbeat, but if you have low blood potassium levels, cardiomyopathy, or hyperthyroidism then you may be more likely to have an irregular heartbeat.
And that may not be a major cause for concern, but at the same time it might be one. So be safe about it and talk to your doctor to see if you need a referral to a cardiologist.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
