Cardiac Arrhythmias: Types

Arrhythmias are divided into bradycardic and tachycardic arrhythmias (HRS)

Bradycardic arrhythmias (bradycardia (pl. bradycardia): < 60 beats per minute (bpm) are:

Bradyarrhythmia absoluta (BAA; irregular pulse, with heart rate below 60 beats per minute).
Higher-grade, sinuatrial and atrioventricular blocks.
Carotid sinus syndrome (carotid sinus syndrome; synonyms: hypersensitive carotid sinus syndrome (HCSS), hypersensitive carotid sinus syndrome) – hyperactive carotid sinus reflex, the cause of bradycardia to short-term asystole (complete cessation of electrical and mechanical cardiac action for more than 2 seconds; in carotid sinus syndrome: 6 seconds or a drop in blood pressure of at least 50 mmHg systolic)/acute circulatory arrest with syncopal symptoms; carotid sinus hypersensitivity can be detected in 20% of all patients over 60 years of age, but less than 1% have detectable carotid sinus syndrome
If applicable, the sinus node syndrome in terms of bradycardia–tachycardia syndrome.

Tachycardic arrhythmias (tachycardia (pl. Tachycardias ): > 100 beats/min) are:

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) – HRS originating above the ventricle/cardiac chamber (originating from the area of the AV node or from the atrium).
Tachysystolic atrial fibrillation (VHF) and atrial flutter.
Ventricular extrasystoles (e.g., in acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) “warning arrhythmias”).
Ventricular tachycardia (life-threatening) ventricular flutter and fibrillation.

Arrhythmias are divided into conduction and conduction disorders, which in turn can be divided into several subgroups.

Sinus arrhythmia – irregular heartbeat that is physiologically due to respiration; may also, in rare cases, be an expression of damage to the sinus node
Sinus bradycardia – too slow heartbeat (< 60 beats per minute).
Sinus tachycardia – too fast heartbeat (> 100 beats per minute).
Sick sinus syndrome (sinus node syndrome) – cardiac arrhythmia due to a disturbance of the sinus node.
Supraventricular arrhythmia (supraventricular arrhythmia) – cardiac arrhythmias that originate in the atria; they include:
- Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).
- Atrial flutter
- Atrial fibrillation (VHF)
Ventricular arrhythmia (ventricular arrhythmia) – cardiac arrhythmias that originate in the heart chambers (ventricles); they include:
- Ventricular tachycardia (VT).
- Ventricular flutter
- Ventricular fibrillation
Extrasystoles (ES; heartbeat that occurs outside the physiological heart rhythm) – supraventricular extrasystoles (SVES) or ventricular extrasystoles (VES).

Sinuatrial block (SA block) – disorders arising from conduction disturbances from the sinus node to the heart wall.
Atrioventricular block (AV block) – disorders arising from conduction disturbances from the atrium (atrium cordis) to the ventricle (ventricle).
Intraventricular block – disorders arising from conduction disturbances in the muscle system of the heart chambers (ventricles).
Atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia with/without preexcitation – short-term tachycardia (accelerated pulse) due to conduction of excitation via short-circuit pathways; may be subdivided further based on the presence of preexcitation syndrome (premature excitation of the ventricle via congenital conduction structures that parallel the AV node):
- AVRT with preexcitation (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome; WPW syndrome).
- AVRT without preexcitation

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW syndrome) – cardiac arrhythmia (HRS) caused by an electrical circular excitation (circus movement) between the atria and the ventricles.
Lown-Ganong-Levine syndrome – HRS with characteristic ECG changes: seizure-like palpitations (paroxysmal tachycardia), a shortened conduction time (PQ time < 120 ms) with a normally configured QRS complex.