Cardiac Electrophysiology
Dedicated to the treatment of patients with heart rhythm disturbances.
Our patients have a broad range of arrhythmias ranging from palpitations to sudden cardiac arrest. We have access to some of the most advanced treatments available for diagnosing and treating heart rhythm problems. More importantly, we have the experience and knowledge necessary to approach these difficult problems.
Heart rhythm disturbances can be benign or life threatening. Arrhythmias are the cause of symptoms ranging from palpitations to fainting spells and even death. But even the most benign arrhythmia can have a serious impact. Anything that can affect your heartbeat certainly can have a profound effect on every other aspect of life. Most of our patients have already been through a number of different heart tests. Our job is to put it all together and help to restore a normal heartbeat.
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias are disorders that produce abnormal heart rhythms when there is a change from the normal sequence of electrical impulses. This can cause the heart to pump less effectively. Some arrhythmias are so brief that the overall heart rate or rhythm is not greatly affected. Other arrhythmias, more extensive or volatile in nature, can be signals of more serious underlying problems.
In many cases, the exact cause of an arrhythmia remains a mystery. However, there are a number of factors that can contribute to this type of disorder. They can include:
- coronary artery disease
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- smoking
- excessive use of alcohol or caffeine
- drug abuse
- stress
If conditions of an arrhythmia linger over a long period of time, they can cause the heart to either beat too slowly (bradycardia) or too quickly (tachycardia).
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)
If left untreated, AFib may cause discomfort. In the worst case, it can lead to a stroke. It can also lead to a weakening of the heart muscle or a worsening of congestive heart failure. Because atrial fibrillation causes so many different problems in many different people, treatment strategies vary for each person. The major focus is to prevent a stroke.
Once we have determined your risk of having a stroke, we focus on keeping the heart from beating too quickly. A rapid heartbeat, if left untreated, can lead to a weakening of the heart muscle.
The symptoms of AFib are treated either by slowing the heart rate or restoring the normal heart rhythm. Several approaches are used including:
- Medications to slow down the rapid heart rate
- Electrical cardioversion to help restore a normal heart rhythm using an electric shock delivered under anesthesia
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Open heart surgery
- Pacemakers implanted to help produce a more normal heart rhythm
Because atrial fibrillation is so common, new treatments are frequently introduced. New medications are being developed which may be more effective with fewer side effects. Special pacemakers help to record recurrences of atrial fibrillation and can even help to prevent them. Another promising procedure is called pulmonary vein isolation. During this procedure, we try to isolate the abnormal signals that initiate the atrial fibrillation. To do this, we use an advanced mapping system which allows us to reproduce a computerized picture of the heart. This allows us to "see" our catheters on the computer model as we move them around and destroy the abnormal tissue causing the arrhythmia. This procedure can sometimes cure atrial fibrillation.