Electrophysiology Studies
What is an Electrophysiology Study?
An electrophysiology study (also known as an EP study) is a special study of your heart’s conduction system. This test helps to determine if there is an abnormality in your heart’s electrical system, which could cause your heart to beat very rapidly. In some patients who have experienced heart attacks, this test may help to assess whether or not an implantable defibrillator may be needed to prevent death from cardiac arrest.
During an EP study, special wires, called catheters, are placed into your veins (usually from the groin) and threaded into the heart. The wires are placed into your veins through special intravenous lines known as sheaths. You are given some local anesthetic so that this part of the procedure is more comfortable. In addition, you are given medications through your vein to make you sleepy. In fact, many patients sleep through their EP test. It is important to let your electrophysiologist know if you have had any reactions or allergies to medications used for sedation or anesthesia.
The Study Allows your Physician to:
- Diagnose the source of arrhythmias
- Evaluate the effectiveness of specific medications in controlling the arrhythmia
- Assess the need for an implantable device (a pacemaker or defibrillator) or the need for surgical correction of the arrhythmia
- Predict the risk of sudden cardiac death
What to expect.
- You will be asked to fast from midnight until after the EP test.
- When you arrive, you will be admitted to a hospital room. You will also return to this room after your test.
- When it is time to go for your test, you will be taken on a stretcher to the EP lab. Nurses and technicians will position you on an x-ray table. The area where the catheters will be placed (usually the right groin) will be thoroughly cleaned and shaved if necessary. You will be covered with sterile sheets.
- You will be given some medications to help you relax and sleep.
- Your doctor will also inject a local anesthetic to numb the areas where the catheters will be inserted.
- Once the catheters are positioned in the heart, the electrophysiologist will spend the rest of the time recording your heart’s electrical activity and making measurements.
- Because part of the test involves pacing your heart and causing extra beats, you may feel your heart skipping beats and racing at times. This is not painful. If a rapid heart rhythm is started, the electrophysiologist can stop it either by using the catheters in your heart or by delivering an electric shock to your chest. In most cases, you won’t feel this because of the sedatives given during the test.
- After the test is completed, the catheters and intravenous sheaths are removed. It is necessary to hold some pressure on the insertion sites to stop the bleeding at these sites. You will be instructed not to move your leg for about 4 hours to let the area heal. This prevents bleeding.
Questions?
For more information about Electrophysiology Services, click here or call (860) 714-9993 and a member of our team will contact you within two business days.