Natural treatments for cardiac dysrhythmia (arrhythmia)
Natural treatments for cardiac dysrhythmia, commonly known as arrhythmia, encompass various remedies that aim to manage irregular heart rhythms. Arrhythmias can range from benign occurrences, such as sinus arrhythmia often triggered by stress, to more severe conditions like atrial fibrillation, which might require immediate medical intervention. The most frequently cited natural treatments include fish oil, magnesium, hawthorn, and vitamin C, though evidence for their effectiveness varies. While fish oil may provide some benefits, magnesium has shown mixed results, particularly in individuals with specific health conditions. Hawthorn is traditionally used for mild palpitations, although scientific support is limited. Other approaches that may help include acupuncture and relaxation techniques like yoga and biofeedback, which can help alleviate stress-related symptoms.
Conversely, certain substances such as caffeine and ephedra should be avoided, as they may exacerbate arrhythmia. It's important for individuals to consult healthcare professionals before pursuing any natural treatment, especially since arrhythmias can be serious and often require medical evaluation and care. Overall, while some natural treatments may offer benefits, they should be approached with caution and in conjunction with professional medical advice.
Natural treatments for cardiac dysrhythmia (arrhythmia)
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: None
- OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Fish oil, hawthorn, magnesium, vitamin C
DEFINITION: Treatment of irregular heart rhythms.
Introduction
Under the control of a complex internal electrical system, the heart beats out a continuous rhythm from a few weeks after conception until death. This rhythm is ordinarily even and regular, changing speed as necessary to adjust to the body’s need for oxygen.
Sometimes, however, the heart’s rhythm becomes disturbed, or arrhythmic. The most common and benign form of arrhythmia is the common heart palpitation, known technically as sinus arrhythmia. Generally, these palpitations are felt as a short run of thumps or flutters in the chest. Sinus arrhythmia is often caused by stress and anxiety. It poses no danger, although it can be annoying.
More serious forms of heart arrhythmia may occur as well. In later life, many people develop atrial fibrillation, a condition in which part of the heart contracts at excessive speed and another part follows along irregularly. Although some people live for years in a state of atrial fibrillation, this is a potentially dangerous condition that requires medical attention.
Other forms of heart arrhythmia are more dangerous and include ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These frequently occur after a heart attack. They are often heralded by ventricular premature complexes.
Conventional treatment for arrhythmia depends on the type involved. Sinus arrhythmia is often left untreated. More serious rhythm disturbances are addressed through the use of medications, defibrillation, or a pacemaker.
Heart arrhythmias are far too dangerous for self-treatment. In all but the most obviously benign cases, one should immediately seek medical care.
Proposed Natural Treatments
Although the evidence is conflicting on whether fish oil helps prevent dangerous heart arrhythmias, on balance, fish oil may provide some benefit in certain people. The mineral magnesium tends to stabilize the heart, and intravenous infusions of magnesium are sometimes given to people in cardiac intensive care. However, a six-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 170 people did not find oral magnesium effective for maintaining normal heart rhythm in people with a tendency to develop atrial fibrillation.
Diuretic drugs in the thiazide family tend to deplete the body of the minerals potassium and magnesium. People using such drugs are usually advised to take potassium supplements because potassium deficiency can cause arrhythmias. One small double-blind study failed to find that additional supplementation with magnesium further stabilized the heart. Apparently, the extent of magnesium deficiency caused by thiazide diuretics is not severe enough to destabilize the heart’s rhythm.
However, the drug digoxin appears to sensitize the heart to magnesium deficiency. People with congestive heart failure (CHF) are likely to use both digoxin and loop diureticsanother type of diuretic that depletes magnesiumand the net result can be cardiac arrhythmias. One small, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that magnesium supplements reduced episodes of ventricular arrhythmia in people with CHF.
A controlled study found preliminary evidence that vitamin C may help prevent one of the types of arrhythmia, or atrial fibrillation, that can follow coronary artery bypass grafting. However, because this trial failed to include a placebo group, its results are suspect.
The herb hawthorn is widely used to treat mild palpitations, but scientific evidence to show that it is effective consists only of partially relevant test-tube studies. N-acetylcysteine, a modified version of a dietary amino acid, was shown in a pilot placebo-controlled study (115 participants) to reduce the incidence of atrial fibrillation following open-heart surgery, a common complication of this kind of procedure.
When palpitations are caused by anxiety or stress, some herbs and supplements used for those conditions may be helpful. Other herbs and supplements sometimes recommended for palpitations but which have little supporting evidence include vitamin D, calcium, corydalis, valerian, skullcap, and lady’s slipper.
The American Heart Association suggests supplementing the diet with omega-3 fatty acids, which are proven to promote cardiac health, though this may be more preventative than treatment. Several other natural treatments have been recommended, including barberry, motherwort, cinchona, and a combination of herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wenxa Keli (WXKL). A 2022 study found some benefits of WXKL in treating cardiac arrhythmias, but further research is needed to confirm these results.
Several studies and reviews of the literature published from the late 2010s to the mid-2020s suggested acupuncture may benefit heart rhythm functioning, particularly in treating the most commonly diagnosed arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation. A few studies found adverse side effects, such as infection or organ puncture, so it is crucial only to receive acupuncture from a licensed professional. Other relaxation methods, such as yoga and biofeedback, were also studied and appeared to have cardiac health benefits. The breathing practices used in yoga decreased the symptoms of atrial arrhythmias and reduced stress and anxiety. The American Heart Association also promotes regular exercise to reduce or prevent atrial fibrillation symptoms.
Herbs and Supplements to Avoid
Caffeine stimulates the heart and may cause minor palpitations. Herbs containing caffeine, such as guarana and cola nuts, would be expected to cause similar problems. The herb ephedra also stimulates the heart and should be avoided by people with palpitations. A few reports suggest that the supplement creatine could, at times, cause heart arrhythmias. Numerous herbs and supplements may interact adversely with drugs used to prevent or treat arrhythmias, so one should be cautious when considering the use of herbs and supplements.
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