Irregular Heartbeat
An abnormal heartbeat pattern is known medically as arrhythmia. When the heart’s electrical signals that regulate its beating become disorganized, the normal heart rhythm is altered. Incorrect signaling results in an abnormal heart rate, which can either be irregular, too slow, known as bradycardia, or too fast, termed as tachycardia.
On the other hand, a common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation. When the upper chambers of the heart don’t beat in sync, blood flow is disrupted and leads to atrial fibrillation. Stroke, blood clots, heart failure, and other life-threatening cardiovascular problems can all develop from atrial fibrillation.
Infection with certain microorganisms has been linked in recent research to the onset of arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation by way of the inflammatory cascade. Inflammation is commonly seen in patients with atrial fibrillation due to underlying chronic infections. The gram-negative bacterium Helicobacter pylori is a noncardiac factor that has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular diseases. People with atrial fibrillation have a 20-fold increased risk of testing positive for H. pylori compared to those who do not have the condition. Also, peptic ulcer is highly associated with anemia. In addition to causing cardiac stress through tachycardia and increased stroke volume, anemia may worsen cardiac function by decreasing renal blood flow and causing fluid retention.
