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Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Evaluation of rhythm disorders usually requires a detailed discussion of symptoms and a physical exam with a health care professional.

In addition, an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is mandatory to establish the exact type of arrhythmia. If the rhythm disturbance is present while the ECG is being recorded, the problem may be identified immediately. Otherwise, more specialized testing may be required. A 24-hour (or longer) recording of the heartbeat is often necessary to detect any rhythm problem that occurs daily but not constantly. (For examples of EKGs of various arrhythmias, the reader is urged to see the references provided in this introductory article.)

However, if the arrhythmia is even more infrequent, an event recorder may be used. These recorders can be hand-held machines that are activated by the patient whenever he or she feels symptoms. These event recorders can be worn for variable amounts of time from days to weeks in order to detect changes in the heart's rhythm. Some recorders are placed surgically under the skin and left there for up to 1 year.

An ultrasound of the heart, called an echocardiogram, is often used for an evaluation of the structure and function of the heart that may help identify underlying causes that lead to arrhythmias.

In general, arrhythmias in children are diagnosed with most of the same tests that are used in adults.

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