A single interruption in the regular pacing of the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart.
A specific kind of heart rhythm disorder is defined by the omission of one single heart contraction in the ventricles. The subsequent heartbeat usually occurs a bit ahead of schedule and tends to be stronger than the norm; it’s typically this beat that gets attention rather than the missing one. The occurrence of a dropped beat is quite frequent and could be triggered by substances like alcohol, caffeine, and certain drugs. Occasional solitary dropped beats are very unlikely to indicate heart disease.