Medical expert of the article
New publications
Heart failure
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
The peculiarity of the heart muscles is their non-stop rhythmic contractions, which are the life-supporting function of the heart. Paralysis of the heart is a life-threatening (terminal) condition in which arbitrary myocardial contractions abruptly cease, causing the cardiac muscles to lose the ability to pump blood and maintain normal blood flow in the body.
[Causes of the paralysis of the heart
In cardiology, the causes of heart paralysis are linked:
- with blockade of coronary circulation due to thrombosis, air embolism of the small circle of blood circulation or arteriosclerosis of the coronary arteries of the heart;
- with violation of the functions of the conduction system of the heart (PSS), providing rhythmic work of the heart (atrial fibrillation with acute myocardial infarction, etc.);
- with cardiomyopathies (diffuse degenerative changes in the myocardium, acute stenoses of the heart valves, etc.);
- with cardiogenic shock in case of acute myocardial infarction;
- with cardiogenic pulmonary edema in acute left ventricular failure;
- with hypovolemic shock (which occurs with severe bleeding);
- with anaphylactic or septic shock;
- with severe forms of degenerative-inflammatory myocardial disorders associated with transmural myocardial infarction and some infectious diseases;
- with hyperkalemia and caused by her sinus bradycardia and blockade of the pacemaker.
Paralysis of the muscles of the heart is possible due to a violation of their innervation in connection with complete bilateral damage to the cervical (or thoracic) division of the vagus nerve or its parasympathetic nuclei. In addition, neurotoxic damage to the body (after bites of venomous snakes, with botulism or tetanus) can lead to paralysis and cardiac arrest.
So the pathogenesis of heart paralysis in most cases is only the extreme point of development of those pathologies that lead to its occurrence, and is caused by hypoxia of myocardial tissue, replacement of myocardial fibroids with fibrous tissue (in case of infarction) or total damage of cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes).
Symptoms of the paralysis of the heart
The main symptoms of heart paralysis are expressed in the loss of consciousness of the absence of reflexes and complete immobility, the rapid transition of superficial intermittent breathing into its complete stopping of respiratory movements (apnea), the absence of cardiac contractions, cyanosis of the mucous membranes and skin.
When the heart is paralyzed as a result of an acute myocardial infarction, the first signs are a piercing acute pain behind the sternum and a feeling of lack of air (dyspnoea), which quickly transform into a state of collapse.
In other cases, the first symptoms may be paroxysmal changes in the heart rate, expressed asphyxia, convulsions.
Complications of paralysis of the heart - stopping the flow of oxygen to the tissues of the body and reducing the rate or complete stop the metabolism. As a result, multi-organ ischemia develops, because of which, in the first place, the brain suffers. The consequences are asystole and cardiac arrest, followed by the onset of clinical death. For more information, see Symptoms of Clinical Death
Diagnostics of the paralysis of the heart
A key symptom by which doctors diagnose heart paralysis is a cardiac arrest, determined by probing the pulse on the carotid artery on the lateral surface of the neck (below the jaw). There is simply no time for other diagnostic methods, because urgent resuscitation is needed. For more details see - Sudden cardiac death
What do need to examine?
How to examine?
Who to contact?
Treatment of the paralysis of the heart
It is not the treatment of heart paralysis, emergency medical care in a critical situation, which often ends up lethal.
According to the rules adopted in the cardiac resuscitation, the patency of the airways is restored, the heart is started with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (indirect heart massage and mouth-to-mouth respiration), electrical discharge (defibrillation), and forced ventilation of the lungs. Also, appropriate drugs that stimulate myocardial contraction are mandatory.
About how to provide medical assistance, if there was a heart paralysis, read in the article - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.