Electrophysiology
Center of the Heart – Cardiac Electrophysiology
At the Center of the Heart, our cardiac electrophysiologists are specially trained to diagnose and treat all heart rhythm disorders and irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). They employ advanced technologies and techniques for both diagnosis and treatment.
Your Heart's Electrical System
The heart is an intricately designed pump that depends on its own electrical system to beat and circulate blood throughout the body. Occasionally, issues with this electrical system arise causing heart rhythm disorders. These conditions may result in the heart beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly, potentially leading to serious complications like stroke or sudden cardiac death.
AFib: The Most Common Arrhythmia
One of the most common arrhythmias is atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) can be dangerous and life-threatening if not properly managed. It greatly heightens the risk of stroke, as irregular heartbeats can lead to clot formation in the heart that may travel to the brain.
AFib can also contribute to heart failure by weakening the heart muscle. It can cause rapid heart rates that put extra strain on the cardiovascular system and lead to persistent fatigue that impacts daily activities. AFib can also increase the risk of sudden death by up to two-fold.
Proper treatment, including medications, blood thinners, and possibly early intervention with an ablation procedure, is usually essential to prevent these complications and enhance quality of life.
Heart Rhythm Management
- Evaluation and treatment of atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, WPW, ventricular tachycardia, and all other arrhythmias
- Assessment and management of syncope
- Management of antiarrhythmic medications
- Electrophysiology studies
- Ablations
- Use of Holter monitors, event monitors, and implantable loop recorders
- Pacemaker implantation and management
- Implantation and management of implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs)
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy and biventricular devices
- Remote and in-clinic device interrogations
- Intracardiac echocardiograms (ICE)
Ablations
This procedure involves guiding one or more flexible, thin tubes (catheters) through the blood vessels to the heart’s abnormal tissue using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and advanced 3D mapping systems.
Thermal or non-thermal energy is precisely applied to destroy small areas of tissue that produce abnormal electrical signals responsible for rhythm disturbances. This process helps restore a normal heart rhythm and alleviate symptoms associated with arrhythmias.
Ablation is often performed for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardias, or ventricular tachycardia and can significantly improve a patient’s quality of life.
Watchman Device Implantation
The Watchman device is a medical implant designed to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) who cannot take long-term anticoagulants.
It is a small, umbrella-shaped device inserted into the left atrial appendage of the heart via a catheter. By occluding this area, the Watchman device prevents blood clots from forming and traveling to the brain.
This device offers an alternative for stroke prevention, especially for patients who experience bleeding risks or complications with traditional blood thinners.
Holter and Event Monitoring
The 24-hour Holter monitor is an electrocardiographic device worn for a full day, including during sleep and exercise. It continuously records the heart’s rhythm over 24 hours for detailed analysis.
An event monitor is worn for a longer period and records heart rhythm only when activated by the patient during symptoms such as palpitations or rapid heartbeats. These recordings can be transmitted remotely for analysis.
Pacemaker Implantation
Pacemakers are small devices implanted to regulate heart rhythm, especially in cases of abnormally slow heartbeats. Traditionally, pacemakers are placed under the skin near the collarbone with leads passing through veins into the heart.
Pacemakers are monitored remotely with periodic cardiology check-ups. Our electrophysiologists also perform leadless pacemaker implantation.
A leadless pacemaker is implanted directly into the heart’s right ventricle via a catheter and does not require wires or leads. This design minimizes infection risk, reduces discomfort, and simplifies the implantation process.
Leadless pacemakers are especially beneficial for patients with complications from traditional pacemakers and offer a streamlined, less invasive solution for managing heart rhythm disorders.
Our cardiac electrophysiologists can implant all types of pacemakers.
ICD Implantation
Implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are highly effective in stopping life-threatening arrhythmias and are critical in preventing sudden cardiac death.
An ICD is placed under the skin near the heart and continuously monitors heart rhythm. If a dangerously fast or abnormal rhythm is detected, the ICD delivers a shock to restore normal rhythm.
A subcutaneous ICD (SICD) is implanted beneath the skin without leads inside the heart. It detects abnormal rhythms and delivers a shock when necessary, offering an alternative for patients who cannot receive traditional ICDs.
Our cardiac electrophysiologists can implant all types of ICDs.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT)
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves heart efficiency in patients with heart failure and irregular heartbeats. It uses a specialized pacemaker or defibrillator to coordinate contractions of the heart’s ventricles.
By synchronizing electrical impulses to both sides of the heart, CRT enhances pumping efficiency, reduces heart failure symptoms, and improves quality of life and exercise capacity—particularly in patients with ventricular dyssynchrony.