Medical Description

Cardiac arrhythmia is an irregularity of the heartbeat. It is caused by damage to heart tissue and the heart’s electrical system.

There are three common types of cardiac arrhythmia: tachycardia, which is characterized by very rapid ventricular contractions; bradychardia, which is an excessively slow heartbeat; and extra or premature beats, the most common type.

Source: “Cardiac arrhythmia,” Cleveland Clinic, accessed May 2008.

Symptoms

• lightheadedness
• dizziness
• quivering
• shortness of breath
• chest discomfort
• heart fluttering or pounding
• forceful or painful extra beats

General Information

In May 2008, The Institute for Safe Medication Practices announced conclusions drawn from its study of adverse-event reports of Pfizer Inc.’s Chantix. The reports, filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), linked 988 serious incidents to Chantix in the United States during 2007’s fourth quarter alone, the most for any medication during that time period. Included in reports were 244 cases of potential cardiac arrhythmia.

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