Cardiac arrhythmias in children can occur when there are changes in the excitability, conductivity, or automaticity of the myocardial cells' electrophysiological properties. Pediatric arrhythmias may be congenital or acquired, with potential causes including rheumatic fever, myocarditis, exposure to toxic substances, adverse effects of medications, or post-cardiac surgery conditions.
The primary risk associated with arrhythmias lies in severe bradycardia or tachycardia, which can result in reduced cardiac output and potentially lead to syncope or sudden death. However, most arrhythmias, such as isolated atrial or ventricular premature beats, are not life-threatening. Assessing whether a particular arrhythmia poses a risk to life is of critical importance.
To be continued