If you have arrhythmia, you may experience heart fluttering, chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness. Some heart rhythm issues are harmless and don’t cause any symptoms. But certain arrhythmias can be life-threatening and increase your risk of heart failure and stroke.
At the Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Cardiovascular Institute, we use the latest technologies to swiftly diagnose your condition and get your heart back in sync.
Our Electrophysiology (EP) Program features sophisticated diagnostic equipment to test the electrical activity of your heart. Our heart rhythm specialists, or electrophysiologists, rely on advanced heart mapping equipment to pinpoint problems that often go undetected.
Irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmias, affect the heart differently. Types of
arrhythmia include:
Our heart rhythm specialists have deep expertise in treating a range of arrhythmia problems, from the routine to the complex. Most treatments take place in our Electrophysiology Program. Treatment options include:
These medications can treat arrhythmia symptoms and lower stroke risk:
Pacemakers and defibrillators, such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), send electrical pulses to help your heart maintain a normal rhythm.
Your doctor returns your heart to a normal rhythm by delivering an electrical shock directly to your heart. The shock disrupts the electrical pulses causing
the irregular heartbeat.
During an ablation procedure your doctor uses either heat (radiofrequency ablation) or extreme cold (cryoablation) to destroy areas of heart tissue responsible for sending erratic electrical signals. The resulting scar tissue blocks the signals that cause arrhythmia. Your doctor also closes or removes the left atrial appendage, an area where stroke-causing blood clots often form.
We offer:
The AHN Cardiovascular Institute was one of the first in the state to offer the WATCHMAN device. For patients with AFib, this self-expanding device seals off the heart’s left atrial appendage where blood clots often form. WATCHMAN lowers your stroke risk by preventing blood clots from entering your bloodstream.
We offer ongoing, comprehensive arrhythmia care at the AHN Atrial Fibrillation Clinic located within the AHN Cardiovascular Institute at Allegheny General Hospital.
Call (412) DOCTORS (412) 362-8677 or request an appointment to learn more about AHN cardiovascular services.