The Heart has 3 Main Electrical channels that “fire” with every heart beat: –Sodium (Na + ), Potassium (K + ), Calcium (Ca ++ ) These 3 channels are in perfect “balance”, and when they are out of balance, heart rhythm problems arise. These heart rhythm problems are usually heart racing, leading to lack of blood pumping Patients may experience blackouts (heart rhythm goes back to normal), cardiac arrest (heart requires a shock to return to normal) or die suddenly Heart Rhythm 101

Blood Heart Muscle Cell Na + K+K+ K+K+ Ca ++ Normal - Perfect Balance

Blood Heart Muscle Cell Ca ++ Not Enough Potassium (K + ) Long QT Syndrome Not Enough Potassium (K + ) Long QT Syndrome Na + K+K+ K+K+

Blood Heart Muscle Cell Ca ++ Too Much Potassium (K + ) Short QT Syndrome Too Much Potassium (K + ) Short QT Syndrome Na + K+K+ K+K+

Blood Heart Muscle Cell K+K+ K+K+ Ca ++ Too much sodium (Na + ) Long QT Syndrome Too much sodium (Na + ) Long QT Syndrome Na +

Blood Heart Muscle Cell K+K+ K+K+ Ca ++ Not Enough sodium (Na + ) Brugada Syndrome Not Enough sodium (Na + ) Brugada Syndrome Na +

Blood Heart Muscle Cell K+K+ K+K+ Too much calcium (Ca ++ ) Catecholaminergic VT Too much calcium (Ca ++ ) Catecholaminergic VT Na + Ca + +