What causes premature babies to have a fast heart rate?

A fast heart rate in premature babies is often related to the poor autonomy of the child's heart rate. When changes in excitability and conductivity occur, it often causes an abnormal heart rate, which in turn causes arrhythmia. This situation is relatively dangerous and is an important cause of sudden death in children. Therefore, we must not take it lightly and must conduct timely examinations and provide timely and effective treatment. Let's take a look at this aspect.

What causes premature babies to have a fast heart rate?

1. Fetal arrhythmia

Neonatal arrhythmia can occur in utero or after birth. When it occurs in utero, it is called "fetal arrhythmia". The causes of arrhythmia after birth are multifaceted. Common causes are as follows:

(1) Various organic heart diseases such as congenital heart disease, viral myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, etc.

(2) Various neonatal infectious diseases such as neonatal pneumonia, sepsis, upper respiratory tract infection, intestinal infection, etc.

(3) Neonatal asphyxia and hypoxia are common causes of arrhythmias. Other perinatal factors (i.e. abnormalities of the mother and fetus before and after delivery), such as medication by the pregnant mother before and during delivery, umbilical cord around the fetal neck, cephalopelvic disproportion, and intrauterine distress, can all cause arrhythmias.

(4) Water and electrolyte imbalance such as hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia, acidosis, and certain drugs such as digitalis.

(5) Neonatal cardiac catheterization and cardiac surgery

(6) Healthy newborns may experience arrhythmias, which may be related to the immaturity of their conduction system.

2. Classification of neonatal arrhythmias

(1) Sinus arrhythmia: sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia, sinus arrhythmia, sinus arrest, sick sinus syndrome (sinus node dysfunction).

(2) Ectopic beats and ectopic rhythms: premature beats (atrial, nodal, ventricular), supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular flutter and fibrillation

(3) Conduction abnormalities: sinoatrial block, atrioventricular block, bundle branch block, and preexcitation syndrome.