The heart is one of the most important organs in the body of an organism, whether aquatic, amphibian or mammalian. This super organ functions automatically, capable of pumping massive amounts of oxygen-rich blood throughout the body by means of electrical impulses and the opening and closing of valves within its many layers. It is what keeps us and every other creature on this earth alive; so it is completely natural to be afraid when there might be a problem with your heart. A heart arrhythmia can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race or gender. That's why doctors and scientists have spent years trying to better understand the heart and how it works so they can prevent these problems and save lives. millions of lives. A normal heart rhythm is maintained and depends on the proper movement of sodium, calcium and potassium ions into and out of different areas of the heart. This flow of ions mediates the action potential, resulting in an electrical impulse that travels throughout the heart and is seen when a person is connected to a heart monitor (Wilde and Bezzina 1352-1358.) A cardiac arrhythmia, also known as heart disease. dysrhythmia is any disturbance or abnormality in the myocardial activation sequence, or rather any disturbance that disrupts the heart rhythm (Jaeger). Heart malfunctions are quite common in our world, some harmless and some not, with estimates showing that around 600,000 people die each year from some form of heart disorder, and around 50% of them die immediately afterwards. a cardiac episode (Jaeger.) There are many different types of cardiac arrhythmias, all of which are related to the heart and its automatic ability to depolarize and send electrical impulses through......the middle of a paper...... experiences and actions to improve their knowledge of this powerful organ in order to be able to avoid even more deaths. Because although cardiac arrhythmias are common, they are not all harmless and patients should get tested immediately if they think something is wrong; because you never know when the heart might stop. Works Cited Jaeger, Fredrick. “Cardiac arrhythmias.” Disease Management Project (2010): Web. March 22, 2011. http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/cardiology/cardiac-arhythmias/Thompson, A and J. Basler. “Perioperative cardiac arrhythmias.” British Journal of Anesthesia 93.1 (2004): 86-94. Internet. March 23, 2011. Wilde, Arthur and Connie Bezzina. “Genetics of cardiac arrhythmias.” Heart 91.10 (2005): 1352-1358. Internet. March 24, 2011. “Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death” American Heart Association. 1995. Internet. March 24 2011.