See also: Pisgah National Forest; Asheville; Biltmore Forest School; Biltmore Industries George Washington Vanderbilt, inheritor of part of the huge Vanderbilt fortune accrued by his grandfather, steamship and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, first visited Asheville in 1889 for health reasons.
An arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah) is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. A heartbeat that is too fast is called tachycardia (TAK-ih-KAR-de-ah). A heartbeat that is too slow is called bradycardia (bray-de-KAR-de-ah). Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can be serious or even life threatening. During an arrhythmia, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body. Lack of blood flow can damage the brain, heart, and other organs.
Some people become very short of breath or dizzy when their heart rate speeds up. Getting the heart rate to slow down can help eliminate those problems. Cardioversion is also performed when someoneâs heart rate becomes irregular, such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. If the heart remains in one of these rhythms for a long time without taking a blood thinning medication, you could be at risk for having a stroke.