The syndrome differentiation of arrhythmia mainly lies in deficiency, including deficiency intermingled with excess. The disease is clinically divided into the five syndromes of deficiency of qi and blood, excessive fire due to yin deficiency, deficiency of the heart yang, obstruction of the heart blood as well as heart disturbance due to phlegm and fire. The commonly-seen symptoms of deficiency of qi and blood include palpitation with restlessness worsened by moving and accompanied by the general symptoms of deficiency of qi and blood; the commonly-encountered symptoms of excessive fire due to yin deficiency include palpitation, dysphoria with restlessness, dizziness, night sweat, dry mouth with the desire for drinking, red tongue with a little fur, thready and rapid pulse.

The commonly-seen symptoms of deficiency of heart yang are palpitation with restlessness worsened by moving, pale complexion, short breath, cold body and limbs, spontaneous sweating, deep and thready or knotted and intermittent pulse; the commonly-encountered symptoms of obstruction of the heart blood are palpitation, chest distress, paroxysmal stabbing precordial pain, cyanotic lips and nails, purple tongue or with ecchymosis, unsmooth or knotted pulse; the commonly-seen symptoms of heart disturbance due to phlegm and fire are intermittent palpitation, frequent cry, susceptibility to fright, chest distress, dysphoria, expectoration of yellowish sputum, red tongue with yellowish and greasy fur, wiry-slippery and rapid pulse.