Heart Rhythm (Electrophysiology)

Overview:

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a common heart rhythm problem where the upper chambers of the heart beat fast and unevenly. This can raise the risk of stroke and heart failure.

Symptoms:

• Fast, irregular heartbeat
• Feeling your heart race (palpitations)
• Shortness of breath and fatigue

Treatments:

• Medications – Blood thinners to prevent clots, and drugs to control heart rhythm.
• Cardioversion – Electric shocks or medication to reset heart rhythm.
• Ablation – Heat or cold energy to fix faulty heart signals.
• Watchman Implant – A device that lowers stroke risk.

Overview:

Arrhythmias are problems with the heart’s rhythm, causing it to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. They can range from harmless to life-threatening.

Symptoms:

• Fluttering in the chest
• Racing or slow heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Fainting or dizziness

Treatments:

Treatments include medications, lifestyle changes, and procedures like pacemaker implantation, catheter ablation, or defibrillator use.

Overview:

Atrial flutter is a type of arrhythmia with a rapid but regular heartbeat, often seen as a precursor to atrial fibrillation.

Symptoms:

• Fluttering sensation in the chest
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue

Treatments:

• Atrial-flutter ablation: Ablation of abnormal tissue causing arrhythmia.
• Electrophysiology test: Diagnostic testing to identify arrhythmia sources.
• Cardioversion: Electrical or chemical methods to reset the heart rhythm.

Overview:

Ventricular Fibrillation is a severe arrhythmia where the ventricles quiver instead of pumping blood, often leading to sudden cardiac arrest if untreated.

Symptoms:

• Loss of consciousness
• No pulse or blood pressure

Treatments:

• ICD implantation: Automatically delivers shocks to restore normal rhythm during life-threatening arrhythmias.
• Emergency defibrillation: External shocks to restart the heart.

Overview:

Heart block is a condition where the electrical signals in the heart are delayed or blocked, causing irregular heartbeats or missed beats.

Symptoms:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Fainting
• Palpitations

Treatments:

• Pacemaker implantation: To ensure the heart maintains a steady, appropriate rhythm.
• Electrophysiology test: To assess the severity and guide treatment.

Overview:

Syncope is sudden, temporary loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain, often linked to heart rhythm issues.

Symptoms:

• Sudden fainting without warning
• Lightheadedness before passing out

Treatments:

• Tilt-table test: To diagnose the cause of fainting by assessing blood pressure and heart rate changes.
• Implantable loop recorder: Monitors heart rhythms over time to identify irregularities.
• Pacemaker implantation: If syncope is related to slow heart rates.

Overview:

Heart failure patients often develop arrhythmias due to changes in heart structure and function. Managing these arrhythmias is crucial to improving heart function.

Symptoms:

• Persistent fatigue and weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in legs or abdomen

Treatments:

• Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT): A device that helps synchronize the heart's ventricles, improving function and reducing symptoms.
• ICD or pacemaker implantation: To manage arrhythmias and reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

Overview:

Electrophysiology tests involve detailed mapping of the heart’s electrical activity to pinpoint the source of arrhythmias.

Overview:

Remote monitoring of pacemakers, ICDs, and loop recorders helps track heart rhythms and device function, providing timely detection of abnormalities.

Overview:

Electrophysiology tests involve detailed mapping of the heart’s electrical activity to pinpoint the source of arrhythmias.

Overview:

Remote monitoring of pacemakers, ICDs, and loop recorders helps track heart rhythms and device function, providing timely detection of abnormalities.