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Heart arrhythmia

Heart arrhythmias are disruptions in a regular heart rhythm, which can include slow, irregular or fast heart beats. They occur when the electrical impulses to the heart stray from their normal sequence and can range from being harmless to life-threatening.

Electrophysiologists in Greater Denver

We work to restore your heart to a healthy rhythm and get you back to your life.

At HealthONE hospitals, our electrophysiologists specialize in expertly diagnosing and treating heartbeat irregularities. With personalized care that fits your heart's unique needs, we work to control and eliminate arrhythmias so you can thrive.

Expert advice, available 24/7

Free health-related advice is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.

Free health-related advice is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.

Types of arrhythmias we treat

Arrhythmias can refer to heartbeats that are irregularly fast (tachycardia), slow (bradycardia) or just anomalous. We treat all types of arrhythmias, including:

  • Arrhythmic myocarditis
  • Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
  • Atrial flutter
  • Bradycardia
  • Congenital heart disease arrhythmias
  • Inherited cardiac arrhythmias
  • Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)
  • Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
  • Syncope
  • Tachycardia
  • Ventricular tachycardia (VT)

Heart arrhythmia services we offer

We specialize in arrhythmia care that revolves around your personal health needs. Once the source of your arrhythmia is known, we move forward with fast and effective care.

Causes of arrhythmia

Arrhythmias can be caused by a variety of things, some of which are unknown. However, our teams specialize in helping you identify common lifestyle factors and congenital health conditions that can put you at a higher risk of developing a heart rhythm disorder. Some of these factors and conditions include:

  • Caffeine or nicotine use
  • Diabetes
  • Drinking too much alcohol
  • Drugs and supplements
  • Medications
  • Obesity
  • Sleep apnea
  • Smoking

Diagnosing arrhythmias

Common symptoms of an arrhythmia to look out for include chest pain, dizziness, heart palpitations, racing heart or shortness of breath. When diagnosing an arrhythmia, our teams of electrophysiologists use the latest technologies to evaluate your heart from every angle.

By taking a comprehensive approach to diagnostic and imaging tests, we are able to craft the most accurate diagnosis and set you up for success with your treatment plan. Our testing for arrhythmias may include:

  • 24-hour Holter and event monitoring
  • 3D mapping
  • Echocardiography
  • Electrophysiology (EP) studies
  • Implantable loop electrocardiogram (EKG)
  • Signal-averaged EKG testing
  • Stress testing
  • Tilt table testing, for detecting neurocardiac syncope
  • Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE)

EP studies

An EP study is conducted to assess your heart's electrical system so we can diagnose a possible arrhythmia. To do this, we use special moving X-ray's called "fluoroscopy" to guide catheters and wired electrodes through your blood vessels and into your heart. Once there, we can measure electrical activity and determine the cause of your arrhythmia by creating a detailed map of the signals that move between each of your heartbeats.


Treating arrhythmias

If an arrhythmia is left untreated, blood clots could form in the heart and block blood flow, making it a notable stroke risk factor. Depending on the type of arrhythmia you have, your treatment may include advanced surgery, cardiac ablation, medication or a combination of the three. We are prepared to treat a diverse severity of conditions with various procedures, including:

  • Cardiac convergent procedure ­— This procedure creates small scars on the back of your heart ("electrical-anatomic mapping") to stop the electrical activity causing AFib.
  • Cardioversion — This procedure involves a prescribed electrical energy shock used to convert the abnormal heart rhythm.
  • Catheter ablation — This procedure delivers radiofrequency energy directly to the area causing the rhythm problem. It can be used to treat AFib, AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), VT and Wolf Parkinson White syndrome.
  • Cryoballoon ablation — This minimally invasive procedure uses a catheter to treat the electrical triggers that are causing your irregular heartbeat.
  • Dual-chamber systems — Provides you with access to the benefits of both dual-chamber and single-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in a single-lead device.
  • Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and pacemakers — These battery-operated devices are implanted under the skin to help regulate heart rhythm.
  • Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) implant — This treatment reduces AFib stroke risk and may eliminate the need for blood thinners if you are experiencing non-valvular AFib.
  • Left atrial appendage ligation — This noninvasive procedure can help reduce the risk of stroke when you are unable to take blood thinners.
  • Radiofrequency ablation — Considered the "gold standard" for treating AFib, this procedure uses radiofrequency to ensure cells are unable to electrically conduct irregular signals through the heart.

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