Cardiac electrophysiologists in OH treat abnormal electrical activities of the heart. Finding the best treatment for the patient is determined by the particular rhythm disturbance. This article will go over what electrophysiology is, and how it is treated.
Electrophysiology (EP) is a study that records and tests the electrical activity of the heart and the pathway that the electrical activity follows. During the study, the physician will try to reproduce the irregular rhythm that the patient has been suffering from and then try different medicines to see which controls the rhythm the best. Sometimes a specific device, such as an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) is determined to be the best choice.
When the doctor determines what is causing the abnormal rhythm and where in the heart it is originating at, a treatment plan will be developed. Common reasons for doing an EP study are people who have had a syncopal episode where they have fainted, or people with a history of congestive heart failure (CHF), sudden cardiac death, atrial fibrillation (AF), or any irregular rhythm.
In the case of atrial fibrillation, a procedure called an AF Ablation is done. It isolates and destroys the abnormal cells that are causing the irregular beats so that the normal pacemaker cells of the heart will take over and produce a normal heart beat.
Many times congestive heart failure is treated with a procedure known as Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT). A pacemaker or defibrillator is inserted to help the weakened muscle by synchronizing the beats, helping the muscle work more efficiently, and improve the symptoms of CHF.
Patients who are at risk for sudden cardiac death may have a cardiac defibrillator implanted. This device will monitor the rhythm, and when it finds a dangerous rhythm, the device will deliver a shock. These devices can also function as pacemakers, if needed.
It is not uncommon for arrhythmia centers to also have a pacemaker clinic to ensure the medical device is operating properly, or to change settings or the battery. A defibrillator clinic is similar to the pacemaker clinic, except that a more comprehensive review of the arrhythmias that are recorded by the ICD are evaluated. A Coumadin clinic may be available to monitor anticoagulants, or blood thinners. Even wireless home monitoring devices may be used to monitor rhythm.
Finding cardiac electrophysiologists in OH will provide a comprehensive approach to managing cardiac arrhythmias. If someone has any of the conditions described above, a consultation or second opinion with a cardiac electrophysiologist is a good choice for getting answers and making choices.
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