Arrhythmia Overview
Arrhythmia is an irregular heart beat caused by a malfunction in the electrical impulses to the heart.
During arrhythmia, the heart either beats:
Almost everyone experiences an occasional skipped heart beat, fluttering, or racing heart beat.
While most events are harmless, some people have arrhythmias that are bothersome and sometimes dangerous.
» See the symptoms of arrhythmia.
About the UPMC Cardiac Electrophysiology Program
The UPMC Cardiac Electrophysiology Program is the largest in western Pennsylvania and one of the largest in the United States.
We treat heart arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, and other heart disorders associated with a high risk of sudden death.
What distinguishes our program?
- Our subspecialty centers — for evaluating and managing atrial arrhythmias, and infected implanted pacemakers and other heart-rhythm devices.
- Our program leaders — pioneers of novel ablation procedures for restoring normal heart rhythm.
Diagnosing Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia symptoms
Some arrhythmias occur without symptoms.
Others may cause noticeable symptoms, such as:
- Heart palpitations or heart fluttering
- Skipped or extra heart beat
- Fainting
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Chest discomfort
At UPMC, your initial evaluation for arrhythmia includes:
- A thorough physical examination
- An evaluation of past medical history
- An assessment of symptoms
In particular, the doctor will listen to your heart with a stethoscope.
Testing for arrhythmia
Following your exam, your doctor may order additional tests and procedures to help confirm an arrhythmia diagnosis, such as:
Testing results
Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to expect your test results and will call you when they're available.
Arrhythmia Treatment
If your doctor detects an arrhythmia, you may need various tests to determine the cause and the best cardiac arrhythmia treatment.
Some less serious types of arrhythmia do not require treatment, but regular checkups are recommended.
Most often, your doctor will prescribe heart arrhythmia medications to control the heart rhythm.
UPMC’s Cardiac Electrophysiology Program offers a full range of treatments for the most therapy-resistant cases of cardiac arrhythmias, including:
- Arrhythmia medications
- Medical devices, such pacemakers and defibrillators
- Radio-frequency ablation
- Catheter- and surgical-based procedures
Treatment goals
The goals of arrhythmia treatment are to:
- Minimize stroke risk
- Control heart rate
- Restore normal heart rhythm
Your doctor may prescribe medicine and order certain procedures to meet these treatment goals.
Heart arrhythmia medications
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To slow the heart rate |
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To maintain a regular heart rhythm |
- Sotalol
- Propafenone
- Amiodarone
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To prevent clot formation and help reduce the risk of stroke |
Blood thinners such as:
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Procedures for treating arrhythmia
- Cardioversion — delivers an electrical shock to “reset” the heart by converting an irregular or fast heart rhythm to a normal heart rhythm
- Ablation therapy — a minimally invasive procedure to remove or destroy (ablate) the abnormal tissue responsible for the arrhythmia
Our program leaders are experts at ablation techniques and have authored book chapters and research publications on the subject.
During ablation therapy, we position a thin wire (catheter) inside your heart near the pulmonary veins.
- Radio-frequency ablation uses radio energy to apply heat to the tip of the catheter to cauterize the heart tissue
- Cryoablation uses extreme cold to freeze and scar the heart tissue
Exploring new treatments
Our doctors are performing research into the underlying causes of arrhythmia and are using their discoveries to develop improved methods for diagnosing and treating arrhythmias.
Learn more about heart and vascular treatments at UPMC.
Request an appointment today.