Skip to main content

Q&A: Irregular heartbeat

A healthcare provider smiles and checks a patient's heart rate

Why has my doctor referred me to a cardiologist?

A common cause of fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, and near-fainting spells is a heart rhythm that is too slow. This condition is known as bradycardia. Having a heartbeat that is slower than normal can be a result of problems with the heart’s electrical system — the heart’s natural pacemaker — or its electrical pathways.

A pacemaker may be recommended to help regulate your heartbeat. A pacemaker is a small, battery-operated device that is implanted under your skin through a small incision and attached to your heart with tiny wires.

A cardiologist might recommend a pacemaker for heart failure or atrial fibrillation, another type of irregular heartbeat.

Learn more about an irregular heartbeat.

This healthy living tip courtesy of Mark Guo, MD.