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Cardiac (Heart) Electrophysiology Tests

What Is Cardiac Electrophysiology

Electrophysiology offers cutting-edge treatments for arrhythmias and other potentially serious disorders affecting the heart’s rhythm. Cardiac electrophysiology examines and treats the heart's electrical system, which controls the heart's rhythm.

At UPMC's Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP) Program, our heart patients benefit from the depth and breadth of our electrophysiologists' experience. As part of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, we're the largest and most comprehensive program of its kind in western Pennsylvania.

Contact the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute

To request an appointment, contact the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute:

Conditions We Treat with Cardiac Electrophysiology

Heart conditions we treat at the Cardiac EP Program include:

  • Irregular heart rates
  • Cardiac syncope (fainting)
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Other heart rhythm disorders

Electrophysiology Treatments and Services

Experts at UPMC's Cardiac EP Program provide a full range of treatments and services, including:

  • Medications
  • Pacemakers and defibrillators
  • Radiofrequency ablation
  • Risk identification and therapies to diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias
  • Noninvasive electrophysiology
  • Clinical electrophysiology

Noninvasive electrophysiology

Noninvasive electrophysiology techniques to detect and monitor arrhythmias include:

  • Signal-averaged electrocardiogram (EKG) testing
  • Endless loop EKG-event monitoring
  • 24-hour Holter monitoring
  • Novel technologies for analyzing heartbeat irregularities

Clinical electrophysiology

The Cardiac EP Program at UPMC also offers the full range of clinical electrophysiologic procedures, including:

  • Implantation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), including biventricular pacing devices for the treatment of advanced heart failure, as well as transtelephonic monitoring for outpatient follow up.
  • Laser-assisted lead extraction of chronic infected or non-functional devices — the only center in western Pennsylvania that performs this demanding procedure.
  • Catheter-based ablation for complex supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias, using state-of-the-art mapping systems, intracardiac echocardiography, and pulsed fluoroscopy, all of which limit radiation exposure.
  • Comprehensive evaluation for people with syncope and palpitations, including:
    • Ambulatory and implantable cardiac monitoring.
    • Head-up tilt-table testing.
    • Invasive electrophysiologic testing.

Cardiac Electrophysiology Labs

UPMC’s invasive and noninvasive electrophysiology laboratories provide the latest equipment for diagnosing and treating abnormal heart rhythms.

Invasive cardiac electrophysiology laboratories

  • Specially equipped for enhanced sterility.
  • Advanced imaging capabilities for complex catheter ablations.
  • State-of-the-art intracardiac monitoring and recording.

Noninvasive electrophysiology laboratory

  • Advanced technology, including 32- and 192-lead body surface mapping equipment to precisely identify and map the areas responsible for the arrhythmia.
  • A pacemaker analyzing system to efficiently conduct pacemaker tests and follow-up care.

Why Chose UPMC's Cardiac Electrophysiology Program?

  • Our specialty centers — our program is the only one in the region with subspecialty centers for evaluating and managing atrial arrhythmias and infected implanted pacemakers and other heart-rhythm devices.
  • Our expertise — with renowned electrophysiologists and faculty members, our electrophysiology program ranks as one of the largest in the United States.
  • Our research — the program has become known for leading research into the underlying causes of arrhythmia and developing improved methods for diagnosis and treatment.

Learn More About Cardiac Electrophysiology Procedures 

From our Health Library at UPMC.com