Symptoms Of Scleroderma

Irregular Heartbeat

An irregular heartbeat can be indicative of the presence of scleroderma in an individual. A healthy individual's heart has its own electrical system responsible for the careful timing coordination of the contraction and relaxation of the heart muscle. Nodes are located throughout the heart muscle that sends and receives electrical impulses that trigger the movement of different chambers of the heart. In order for an individual's heart to beat in a normal rhythm, the electrical impulses have to travel without interruption on a pathway that passes through the nodes. Scleroderma causes excess scar tissue to develop in connective tissues around the body. Because the heart is a muscle, scleroderma can affect it. When the immune system of individuals with scleroderma attacks the muscle tissues of the heart, scarring can form in areas involved in its electrical pathways. When dense fibrous scar tissue disrupts the heart's electrical pathway between or at the site of the nodes, an abnormal heart rhythm can result.