Medtronic Lawsuit Attorneys, Williams Kherkher

Causes of Arrhythmias

An arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart does not always maintain the correct heart rhythm. They are caused by a number of factors. Some of the common causes include heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, excessive use of alcohol or caffeine, drug abuse, and stress. Over-the-counter and prescription medications can cause arrhythmias in some people.

Another cause is scarring of the heart muscle. Scarring can be the result of a number of problems but is mostly from a previous heart attack. It is capable of disrupting the initiation or conduction of electrical impulses that drive the heart’s beat.

In a healthy person who has a healthy, normal heart, it is unlikely for a sustained arrhythmia to develop without some sort of outside trigger like an electrical shock or the use of illicit drugs. In a heart with evidence of disease or deformity, the initiation or conduction of the heart’s electrical impulses can be destabilized. This makes it much more likely that arrhythmias will develop.

Pre-existing structural heart conditions can lead to the development of an arrhythmia due to inadequate blood supply or damage or death of heart tissue. If blood supply to the heart is reduced, the ability of the heart tissue, including the cells that conduct electrical impulses, can be reduced. When heart tissues are damaged or die, electrical impulses are not allowed to spread evenly through the heart.

Pre-existing conditions that can cause an arrhythmia include coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and valvular heart disease.

Contact a Medtronic Lawyer

If you have developed a heart arrhythmia and have been given a Medtronic ICD with SprintFidelis leads, your healthy and heart could be at risk. For more information on the risks associated with these items, contact the Medtronic injury lawsuit lawyers of Williams Kherkher at 800-761-3187 to discuss you case and to determine your legal options.