Ever felt a fluttering in your chest that wasn't butterflies? It might be more than just nerves. Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a condition characterized by an extra electrical pathway in the heart. This "shortcut" can cause rapid heartbeats, known as tachycardia.
Normally, electrical signals travel from the heart's upper chambers (atria) to the lower chambers (ventricles) through a specific pathway. In WPW, an extra pathway allows signals to bypass the usual route, leading to a faster heartbeat. Symptoms can range from palpitations and dizziness to, in rare cases, fainting or even cardiac arrest.
While WPW can sound scary, it's often manageable. Diagnosis involves an electrocardiogram (ECG) to detect the abnormal electrical activity. Treatment options vary depending on the severity and frequency of symptoms, ranging from medications to control heart rate to catheter ablation, a procedure that destroys the extra electrical pathway. If you experience irregular heartbeats, consulting a cardiologist is key to proper diagnosis and management.
