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Overview
A change in the heart’s normal electrical conduction system can result in an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.
An arrhythmia can be an abnormally slow heartbeat, or an abnormally fast heartbeat. In some cases, it can be fatal.
Review Date 5/27/2024
Updated by: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.