Do you have irregular heart beats?

MSNBC.com: If you think you have arrhythmia, what should you do?

Dr. Cummings: If you suspect you have an arrhythmia, you can begin by making an appointment with your primary care doctor. He or she can order a heart monitor to “capture” a picture of your heart rhythm when you have an (arrhythmia) episode. After recording your heart rhythm via monitor, your doctor can refer you to the appropriate specialist(s). Often this is a cardiologist, or in some cases, an electrophysiologist, a cardiologist who specializes in arrhythmias.

MSNBC.com: What are common treatments?

Dr. Cummings: The type of treatment depends on the type of arrhythmias. Some arrhythmias do not require treatment. Others require the use of medication to suppress them. Certain types of arrhythmia require patients to undergo a procedure called an "ablation" during which specialized cardiologists (electrophysiologists) put catheters inside the heart to burn the abnormal cells that are causing the arrhythmias. In addition, some arrhythmias can require the implantation of devices called pacemakers or defibrillators inside the heart to regulate and/or monitor patients’ heart beats. The first step in determining the appropriate treatment for a patient is to identify the nature of the arrhythmia.

MSNBC.com: Do doctors have new ways to treat this condition?

Dr. Cummings: There are new ways being developed every day. New safer ways to perform ablation are currently being tested and evaluated. New devices are always being developed.  At Cleveland Clinic, physicians are doing a significant amount of research in arrhythmias to find easier, safer means to diagnose, treat and cure patients, such as the heart monitor vest shown in the piece.

MSNBC.com: Is this a life-long condition?

Dr. Cummings: There are some arrhythmias that patients will live with their whole lives. However, the majority of arrhythmias can be successfully treated using a wide variety of medications and/or procedures. Once you have an arrhythmia diagnosed on a monitor, you should talk to your doctor about all the options that are specific to you and your arrhythmia.  Every patient is different and treatment is still very individualized.  

Jennifer E. Cummings, MD, is the director of electophysiology research in the section of cardiac electrophysiology and pacing at the department of cardiovascular medicine at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

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