Electrophysiology
Restore a healthy heartbeat with care from electrophysiologists—doctors who specialize in the heart’s electrical system. St. Bernards Heart & Vascular works with you to find the reason for your unusual heart rhythm (arrhythmia) and provides the latest treatments to relieve your symptoms.
Signs of Arrhythmia
Talk to your doctor if you experience:
- Heart palpitations (the sense that your heart is fluttering, racing or skipping beats)
- Chest pain or pressure
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fatigue or weakness
- Shortness of breath
If left untreated, these symptoms could lead to serious problems, like heart failure or stroke. By getting care early, you can protect your long-term health.
Electrophysiology (EP) Study
To diagnose an arrhythmia, your doctor may recommend a procedure in the EP lab at St. Bernards Medical Center. You’ll lie on a table while an electrophysiologist inserts a catheter (thin, soft tube) into a vein. The tube carries an electrode up to your heart, where it sends and receives electrical signals to “map” the path of electricity through your heart. This process helps your doctor find the source of the arrhythmia.
Less Radiation Exposure
Traditionally, EP studies used fluoroscopy (real-time X-ray imaging) to see inside your blood vessels and heart. But nearly all EP studies at St. Bernards Medical Center instead use intracardiac echocardiography—harmless sound waves that create images of the heart. That means you have much less exposure to radiation, and your procedure is safer.
Care for Adults & Children
Our EP lab sees patients ages 10 and older. If your child is younger than 10, we’ll refer you to a local pediatric hospital.
Conditions We Treat
Based on the results of your EP study or other tests, your doctor may diagnose one of these types of arrhythmia:
- Atrial fibrillation
- Supraventricular tachycardia
- Ventricular tachycardia
- Sick sinus syndrome
- Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
Catheter Ablation
Ablation safely eliminates the tiny amount of heart tissue causing your arrhythmia. Sometimes, it takes place right after an EP study. Your doctor uses a wire and thin tube called a catheter to deliver heat, cold or electricity to the abnormal tissue. That stops the tissue from sending faulty electrical signals, so your heart beats normally again.
You can usually go home the day after ablation.
Pacemakers & ICDs
To help your heart keep a steady rhythm over the long term, your doctor may recommend placing one of these devices in your body:
- Pacemaker – Has a tiny generator that sends mild electrical impulses to your heart to speed up a slow heartbeat
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) – Uses a tiny generator to slow down a fast heartbeat and, if needed, deliver a shock to prevent or treat life-threatening cardiac arrest (stopped heart)
You’ll most likely go home the same day you receive your device. That makes your care at St. Bernards as convenient and affordable as possible.
Wireless Pacemakers
Traditional pacemakers use wires to connect a tiny generator to your heart. But doctors at St. Bernards often use newer pacemakers that don’t have wires. Your electrophysiologist can place a wireless pacemaker without making an incision or a visible “pocket” in your chest for the device. That means less risk of complications (side effects).
Follow-Up Device Clinic
Follow-Up Device Clinic
We’ll schedule follow-up visits after your device placement to make sure it’s working well and there are no signs of infection. Expect follow-up visits at these milestones:
- Two weeks
- 14 weeks
- Six months
- Annually
Your device will need new batteries after several years. If it has wires, those may need to be replaced, too.
Call your physician’s office or send a message through the patient portal any time you have questions between visits. We’re always happy to help.
MRI Tests When You Have a Pacemaker
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnets, so it can interact with the metal in pacemakers. But most pacemakers placed at St. Bernards Medical Center are safe for MRI exams under certain conditions. Ask your electrophysiologist about these conditions. If you need an MRI scan, tell us you have a pacemaker when making your appointment.
