Heart rhythm disorders

Heart rhythm disorders (also known as arrhythmia) are disturbances in the normal electrical rhythm of the heart (heartbeat). The heart contains nodes that generate and transmit electrical pulses, causing the different chambers in the heart to contract. The filling chambers (atria) contract to force blood into the lower pumping chambers (ventricles), which in turn contract to pump the blood out to the lungs and body.

Disturbances can occur if the electrical pulses controlling these contractions are irregular, or if the pathways via which they are transmitted are not connected correctly.

Our Cardiorespiratory Unit regularly refers to information published by the Children's Heart Federation when explaining heart rhythm disorders to our patients and their families. 

Read about heart rhythm disorders on the Children's Heart Federation website