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Sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
 
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Sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy is a violation of the heart rate. With this deviation, everything happens with special periodicity. The problem can arise both against the background of serious diseases and some philological conditions. This can be eating a lot of food, stress, intense physical activity.

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Causes and pathogenesis of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

From the very first days of pregnancy, a woman's heart begins to beat much faster. However, this symptom is not always joyful. It can be provoked by various processes in the body. These include sinus arrhythmia.

The amount of blood that circulates increases significantly, by about 20%. This provokes the formation of another circle of blood circulation (additional). It is this that connects the mother with the child. This process increases the load on the heart several times. Increased activity of the nervous system develops. Stress resistance is not so good. Electrolyte disorders are directly related to toxicosis, which further complicates the condition. The hemoglobin level drops significantly. Dysfunction of the thyroid gland is observed. All this disrupts the level of normal heart contractions.

During pregnancy, all chronic processes in the body are exacerbated. Therefore, heart rhythm disturbances are to some extent the norm. The main problems include congenital heart defects, pathological excitation foci. Sinus arrhythmia can occur against the background of atrial fibrillation, extrasystole.

Often the main pathogenesis of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy is a metabolic disorder in the heart cells. This may be due to a lack of potassium, magnesium and sodium. Thus, an excess of these components in the body leads to the development of cardiovascular abnormalities.

All this leads to a significant deterioration in conductivity. This process leads to the occurrence of painful sensations in the heart and chest area. If there is an increased concentration of potassium in the body, a fatal outcome is not excluded.

Pathological changes in the myocardium often lead to the development of ischemia or rhythm disturbance. Moreover, in some cases everything is irreversible. Organic changes contribute to the development of arrhythmia, especially if they are localized in the sinus node. The cause of the phenomenon can also be a congenital defect.

A special role in pathogenesis is given to shifts. This concerns the content of potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium. They must be inside the myocardial cells in an acceptable amount. Any shifts lead to the appearance of excessive excitability, conductivity of the sinus node. All this entails a contraction of the myocardium. Rhythm disturbance occurs against the background of increased activity or, conversely, complete suppression of the sinus node. With shortening and lengthening of the refractory period, pathological changes. To a greater extent, everything is associated with pathologies in the heart itself.

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Symptoms of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

The impulse of the heart contraction originates in the sinus node. It is a group of some cells located inside the walls of the heart. They are responsible for the generation of the electrical impulse. When it flows through special fibers located in the wall, it is fully distributed. This system combines a large number of small fibers. Ultimately, the heart muscle produces rhythmic contractions that have a special periodicity. Thus, normally, the human heart beats 60-90 times per second. If there is a disturbance in the system, this entails the development of many diseases, including sinus arrhythmia.

This disease can be identified by a number of symptoms. Thus, if the frequency of contractions has increased sharply, a person may be bothered by shortness of breath, pulsation in the temples and heart area. Often there is a pain syndrome behind the sternum. If the frequency, on the contrary, is significantly reduced, then a person is bothered by weakness, headache, and dizziness often occurs. A severe rhythm disorder can be accompanied by disturbances in the blood supply to the brain. This can easily cause a shift in blood circulation. The moderate stage of the disease does not have any special symptoms.

The first signs of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

A woman in a position is most vulnerable to all factors. Her body can be affected by various factors. All this affects the abnormal functioning of the heart. The woman feels a rapid heartbeat, strong beats are heard on the left. Periodically, the head begins to spin, the pulse is clearly heard in the temples. Shortness of breath occurs even without visible exertion. The rhythm of the heart is felt if you simply put your finger to the pulse.

This condition is dangerous for the developing fetus. This process negatively affects the baby's blood supply. Naturally, all this can lead to pathologies in the development of the child. To protect the baby, it is worth constantly being monitored by a doctor. Especially if the first symptoms of the disease begin to bother you. In a good clinic, they will immediately ask you to take the necessary tests, undergo an ECG. This will help determine the true cause of the disease. It is important to maintain the woman's condition and eliminate the problem in time. Adequate treatment and prevention are the main path to success.

Consequences and complications of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

The consequences of this disease can be serious. If we talk about the mother's health, then the development of heart failure is possible. As for the baby - suppression of normal development.

With such a disease, the body begins to work harder, causing the heart to beat much faster. All this is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, such as shortness of breath, edema. If the heart, on the contrary, beats more slowly, weakness torments. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the disease in time. After all, unpleasant symptoms will constantly bother a person and ultimately lead to serious consequences. Heart failure knocks a person out of the usual rut. In some cases, it entails disability.

Like other heart diseases, arrhythmia can become chronic. In this case, negative symptoms will constantly bother a person, sometimes very strongly. In order to avoid all sorts of complications, it is worth constantly monitoring your own health. A healthy lifestyle and timely diagnostics will help avoid many problems.

Of course, sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy can cause a number of complications.

The most moderate is a smooth transition to a chronic form. This is fraught with the manifestation of symptoms periodically throughout life. Unpleasant, but not fatal. True, in some cases it knocks you out of your usual life so much that it leads to disability.

The most unpleasant complication is heart failure. A person is not only tormented by a number of symptoms, but also has no opportunity to live as before. It is depressing. In some cases, a fatal outcome occurs. Therefore, hoping that the problem will go away on its own is at least stupid. This is especially true for pregnant women. If symptoms appear, you should immediately inform the doctor about it. After all, there may be failures in the child's development, which will lead to the appearance of pathologies. Problems with blood circulation are not excluded. All this is very serious. The doctor observing the patient should know everything about her condition, so that later you do not have to worry about the consequences.

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Diagnosis of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

Diagnostics can be done in several stages. Initially, the patient needs to be listened to and all data regarding complaints collected. Then find out when the symptoms first appeared, how, how long they have been there. Perhaps treatment has already been carried out previously, this is also worth mentioning.

Then a life history is collected. It includes diseases that the person has suffered, their lifestyle, the presence/absence of bad habits, and heredity. A general examination of the patient is important. The pulse is felt, its frequency and rhythm are measured. General and biochemical blood and urine tests are required. It is important to know the patient's hormonal status. All this will help determine the main causes of the disease.

In addition to all of the above, an ECG is performed. This study allows you to see changes that are characteristic of the disease. Pay attention to the indicators of daily monitoring of the procedure. In this case, it is necessary to keep a patient's diary. After which the records are compared with the ECG results. Certain conclusions are made.

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Tests

Tests play an important role in diagnosing the disease. So, first, it is necessary to question the patient. It is important to find out how long ago the first signs of the disease appeared. Perhaps they were there before, and treatment was prescribed. All this information must be provided to the doctor. Anamnesis of life plays an important role. The woman should talk about her lifestyle, about the diseases that bothered her before. This will allow us to get a clearer picture of what is happening.

Naturally, a blood test is taken. It allows you to determine changes in blood circulation. In general, tests alone are not enough; an ECG should be performed. This method will allow you to get the most accurate results.

Diagnosis of the disease in a pregnant woman is no different from the same process in an ordinary person. They resort to the same tests and methods. The only thing that differs is the treatment. Because during pregnancy, most medications are prohibited.

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Instrumental diagnostics

This type of diagnostics includes studies using ECG and ECG monitoring. Instrumental methods of examination include electrocardiogram. It is a special "instrument" whose main task is to record the heart rhythm and frequency over several minutes. Thanks to this technique, it is possible to detect any disorders, including arrhythmia.

A temporary rhythm disturbance is diagnosed using a slightly different method. The Holter procedure is used for this. It involves monitoring the ECG throughout the day. This allows the heart rhythm to be recorded throughout the day during various types of human activity.

To identify the causes of the arrhythmia that has developed, EchoCG and stress EchoCG are used. Invasive methods allow artificially causing arrhythmia and thus identifying the causes for which it occurs. Thanks to intracardiac examination, special electrodes-catheters are brought to the heart. They are engaged in recording the endocardial electrogram. This is done in several sections of the heart.

A special tilt test is performed on an orthostatic table. Here, the conditions that can cause arrhythmia are completely imitated. The person must simply be placed on the table and their pulse and blood pressure measured. Then the drug is administered and measurements are taken again, repeating until a persistent rhythm disorder occurs.

The transesophageal electrophysiological study method stimulates the heart through the esophagus. This allows recording the conductivity of the heart and its rhythm.

Differential diagnostics

This research method is the most important of all. The fact is that the problem may be early and manifest itself weakly. True, in most cases, patients still complain of unpleasant pain. It can decrease after taking nitroglycerin.

Basically, the final diagnosis is made after an ECG. The results can show special teeth that indicate the presence of a problem. Only a cardiologist can perform this diagnosis. The victim simply goes to see a doctor, while monitoring his blood pressure and pulse. After all, there is a risk of shock. This condition is typical for people whose arrhythmia has developed against the background of a myocardial infarction.

In general, a pregnant girl also undergoes an ECG and general blood tests. It is important not to neglect the problem and begin diagnostics as early as possible. This will protect not only the life of the expectant mother, but also her baby.

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Treatment of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

It is quite possible to cure the disease during pregnancy, however, the process is not easy. The woman's body undergoes cardinal changes, so the dosage of drugs, and the medications themselves, must be selected properly. In any case, it is important to maintain the tone of the heart. It is necessary to take into account the fact that the body is capable of rejecting medications in every possible way.

The approach to eliminating the problem should be careful. After all, it is worth considering not only the reasons for the emergence of this process, but also possible complications. First of all, it is worth stopping drinking alcohol (yes, some mothers allow themselves such luxury). Remove hyperthyroidism, if any, eliminate any consequences of an overdose of glycosides.

It is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the heart. This will allow preventing possible manifestations of attacks during pregnancy. Prevention of thromboembolism must be carried out without fail.

Medication is not recommended. And natural childbirth should also be avoided, as it is possible that the heart rhythm will be disturbed directly during the birth process. Treatment is carried out only after a quality examination. An ECG will help to find out what form the disease is in, as well as to identify other possible deviations. If the deviations are minor, there is no specific treatment. To prevent rhythm disturbances, it is enough to simply lead a healthy lifestyle and spend more time outdoors.

Drug treatment

During pregnancy, any medications should be used with special caution. There is always a risk of developing unforeseen complications. The attending physician is directly involved in adjusting the dosage. The dose is calculated based on the woman's condition, as well as the concentration of certain substances in the blood serum. Maintenance therapy during pregnancy may be ineffective. More precisely, it is difficult to choose due to changes in the body.

Despite this, it is recommended to pay attention to such drugs as Aspirin, Adrenaline. They should be used before the onset of labor. Other medications not only provide supportive therapy, but also help the problem not to return. Atropine, Furomesid, Nifedipine, Verampil are often prescribed.

  • Aspirin. The drug should be used with extreme caution. The dosage is adjusted individually. Usually it is enough to take 100-300 mg per day. However, in the last trimester, such a dosage can cause inhibition of labor. People with increased hypersensitivity, kidney and liver problems should not take the drug. Side effects: nausea, anorexia, skin rash.
  • Adrenaline. The drug is administered intramuscularly or locally, 0.3-0.5-0.75 mg. Everything depends on the condition of the woman in labor. During the intake, an increase in blood pressure and tachycardia are possible. That is, an increase in existing symptoms. People with increased hypersensitivity and diabetes should refuse to take the drug.
  • Furosemide. It is prescribed intravenously, intramuscularly or simply orally. It is enough to take 40 mg of the drug in tablets once a day in the morning. As for other methods, the dose is calculated individually. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and depression. The drug should not be taken by people with increased hypersensitivity, hepatic coma, hypokalemia, as well as in the first trimester of pregnancy.
  • Nifedipine. Taken orally 10-30 mg, 3-4 times a day. The maximum dose should not exceed 120 mg. The duration of treatment is long, 1-2 months. In severe heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, severe arterial hypotension, the use of the drug is prohibited. Side effects in the form of headache, nausea, increased heart rate are possible. In general, the drug is well tolerated.
  • Verapamil. Usually 80 mg of the drug is taken 3 times a day. For pregnant girls, the dose is calculated individually. The drug has a number of side effects. It can cause gastrointestinal disorders, dizziness, depression, and heart rhythm disturbances. It should not be taken by people with heart failure.

Traditional treatment of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

Many people try to resort to folk medicine. But, during pregnancy, this should be done with special caution. Of course, it is quite possible to cure the disease at home. Despite this, the process should be supervised by a professional. It is definitely impossible to start treatment with lily of the valley, belladonna and foxglove. Self-elimination of the problem with these plants can cause a number of negative consequences. These ingredients are poisonous, they should be used with special caution.

  • Recipe 1. Take half a kilogram of lemons and chop them finely. The chopped ingredient is poured with the same amount of sweet honey and mixed. For effect, 20 apricot pits, or rather its kernels, are added here. The resulting mixture is simply consumed one tablespoon twice a day.
  • Recipe 2. Take an onion and mix it with a grated apple. Take the resulting mixture twice a day between meals. One month is enough to eliminate the disease.
  • Recipe 3. Take the celery root and grate it finely, then mix it with parsley and dill. Season everything well with mayonnaise. You can easily add a little salt, make a so-called salad. You can eat this dish without restrictions.

You can resort to folk medicine after the doctor's approval. After all, the risk of harming your own body is great. Much depends on the reason for the problem, as well as the individual characteristics of the person.

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Herbal Treatment for Sinus Arrhythmia During Pregnancy

Such treatment should be carried out with special caution. The point is that you need to clearly understand which herbs can bring a positive result, and which can harm. So, you should pay attention to valerian. You need to take a tablespoon of this ingredient and pour it with a glass of boiled water, preferably at room temperature. After that, everything is left alone for 8-12 hours. Then it is filtered and taken in a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

Horsetail has no less useful properties. It is also necessary to take one tablespoon of this ingredient and pour 400 ml of boiling water over it. Then let it brew for 2-3 hours. The remedy should be taken by tablespoon, up to 3-4 times a day. If a woman has severe heart failure, then 5-6 times a day.

A decoction of adonis has wonderful properties. A glass of water is boiled, then a teaspoon of the main ingredient is added to it. Everything needs to be boiled over low heat for 3 minutes. After that, everything is covered with a lid and left alone in a dark place. This will allow you to prepare a real infusion. It should be taken in a tablespoon 3 times a day.

Hawthorn flowers can work wonders. Just take 5 grams of the main ingredient and pour a glass of boiling water. Then place in a water bath for about 15 minutes. Then strain, cool and take half a glass 2-3 times a day. It is advisable to do this half an hour before meals.

Homeopathy for sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

Heart rhythm disturbances are directly related to heart disease. To a large extent, everything depends on metabolic processes. An important role is given to cholesterol deposited on the walls of blood vessels. To eliminate the problem or prevent it, you can use homeopathic remedies.

Tincture of valerian helps to relieve neurosis from the heart itself. It also actively calms a person, eliminating overexertion. It is enough to take 15 drops in 3 doses. That is, a woman should drink exactly 5 drops at a time. In the evening, the dosage can be increased to 25.

Nervohel is also used. It is intended to eliminate increased excitability, depression and neuroses. It is enough to take one tablet 3 times a day.

Kralonin. It is also prescribed for the corresponding problems. It helps to cope with myocardial infarction perfectly. 15 drops 3 times a day are enough. As for contraindications, the main one for all the means is hypersensitivity to the main components.

In addition to the above preparations, it is recommended to pay attention to honey, you can eat one teaspoon per day. The daily diet should be supplemented with apricots, raspberries and grapes. Both fresh and dried.

Surgical treatment

The first time the problem was eliminated by surgical intervention was in 1968. Today, this method is not used very often. The fact is that the problem can be solved by medication. But only if it has not entered the active stage. In the early stages, arrhythmia can be eliminated even by an ordinary healthy lifestyle. Giving up bad habits, normal nutrition, sleep and rest will drive away any ailments from a person.

If complications are serious and we are talking about heart failure, surgical intervention may be required. Access to the organ is provided by bilateral transverse thoracotomy. The operation must be performed under the support of artificial cardiac support. It is impossible to do without electrophysiological intraoperative mapping. With its help, the location of nerve bundles is determined. Despite the fact that the most modern technologies are used, they try to resort to surgical intervention extremely rarely.

More information of the treatment

Prevention of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

If a person starts to be bothered by attacks of the disease, the first thing to do is to review the diet. Fatty foods increase the cholesterol content, which leads to disruption of the heart muscle. Therefore, it is important to follow a certain diet. You should give up fatty meats, tea, coffee and sugar. These products contain cholesterol in large quantities. You can diversify your diet with dried apricots, zucchini, walnuts, pumpkin. They contain a lot of potassium and magnesium.

It is important to eat often, but little by little. It is not recommended to allow the stomach to be overfull. This will irritate the nerve receptors that are responsible for the functions of the sinus node. As a consequence, there is a risk of developing arrhythmia. Eating at night is prohibited! Drinking alcohol is not recommended.

To prevent the disease and treat it, it is enough to simply give up bad habits, exercise moderately, spend more time outdoors and eat right.

Prognosis of sinus arrhythmia during pregnancy

The pregnancy prognosis with such an ailment depends entirely on the work of the woman's heart. After all, each person reacts to different events in a special way. Arrhythmia during pregnancy is not the easiest condition. Usually, 19-20% of girls may develop organic myocardial lesions. If a representative of the fair sex suffers from late toxicosis, then it will definitely not be possible to avoid arrhythmia.

A rhythm disorder that is complete or incomplete does not pose a particular danger.

Atrioventricular block. Pregnancy increases the ventricular rate. In this case, the birth will require the use of obstetric forceps.

If the pathology is organic, maintaining the pregnancy is contraindicated. The probability of a bad outcome for both mother and child is high. The method of delivery in this case is very important. Even a cesarean section can provoke thromboembolism.

Therefore, what the prognosis will be depends on the individual case. It is impossible to say for sure. It is simply necessary to be constantly under the doctor's supervision and act according to his recommendations.

ICD-10 code

The International Classification of Diseases includes all ailments that are divided into certain classes. Number 10 means problems with breathing, the respiratory system. Heart rhythm disturbances are also among these disorders. After all, it all consists of irregular heartbeats. There are several main types that describe all respiratory system ailments. For convenience, they were assigned special symbols and numbers. Thus, breathing problems are designated J00-J99.

Knowing the classification allows a person to independently read the doctor's description in the medical record. Because many specialists indicate the symbols directly, and not the self-name of the disease. Thus, I49.0 includes fibrillation and ventricular flutter. Class I49.1 is based on premature depolarization of the atria. Type I49.2 is a depolarization that comes from the junction. Class 149.3 is a depolarization of the ventricles. 149.4 includes unspecified depolarization that occurred prematurely. Type 149.5 is a weak sinus signal. Heart rhythm disturbances 149.8-149.9.

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