Electrophysiology

An electrophysiology (EP) study is a test that records the electrical activity and the electrical pathways of your heart. At Health First Heart & Vascular, we have two mapping systems that we use to assess complex arrhythmias, evaluate abnormal electrocardiograms, assess risk of developing arrhythmias in the future and design a treatment plan.

Treatment options include:

Cardiac ablation is used to destroy small areas in your heart that may be causing you heart rhythm problems. Small wires with electrodes are placed inside your heart to measure your heart's electrical activity. These electrodes are used to destroy the unhealthy (or damaged) areas of the heart. The two types include:

• Catheter ablation - Using a non-surgical approach, an electrode is positioned inside the atria of the heart to ablate endocardial tissue.
• Minimally Invasive Surgical Ablation - A device is inserted through tiny incisions. The pulmonary veins and posterior wall of the left atrium are isolated using suction-assisted ablation catheters.

Hybrid ablation (Convergent) is a new minimally invasive approach that combines the best techniques of the electrophysiologist and cardiac surgeon to help restore normal heart rhythm for atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients.

The WATCHMAN procedure is a one-time procedure that reduces the risk of stroke in people with atrial fibrillation and is as effective at reducing the risk of stroke as warfarin. But unlike warfarin, the WATCHMAN implant also reduces the long-term risk of bleeding. Health First Heart & Vascular is proud to be the first and only comprehensive cardiology program in Brevard County to offer the WATCHMAN implant.

The AtriClip procedure reduces the risk of stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation causes blood to pool in the left atrial appendage of the heart, which can put patients at a higher risk of stroke. The AtriClip device is applied to the outside surface of the left atrial appendage, preventing blood from entering the pouch. This procedure is performed by a cardiac surgeon, using minimally invasive surgical techniques.

The MAZE Procedure is a surgical procedure to control AFib. This procedure is typically performed in conjunction with open chest surgery - such as coronary artery bypass grafting, mitral valve repair and/or valve replacement. However, the procedure can also be performed minimally invasively.

Pacemakers are small devices typically placed in the chest or abdomen to help regulate abnormal heart rhythms with leads passed through the veins to the heart. They use electronic pulses to signal the heart to beat normally and can regulate heart rates in one or more chambers of the heart.

Micra leadless pacemaker is designed to provide a safe alternative to conventional single chamber pacemakers, which are placed in the chest and connected to the heart by wire leads. Having no leads, Micra is small enough to be implanted directly into the heart by a catheter passed through a vein in the leg. It delivers electrical impulses that pace the heart through an electrode at the end of the device.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) monitors the heart rate and delivers a shock to the heart to restart a normal heart rhythm. The device is for those at risk of sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation or others who have a weakened heart muscle. Similar to a traditional pacemaker, it is placed in the chest or abdomen with leads passed through veins to the heart.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), also called biventricular pacing, is used to relieve symptoms of arrhythmia by helping the heart maintain a constant rhythm. A pacemaker is implanted with three leads in the heart that help ensure the ventricles of the heart contract at the same time. A CRT may be recommended for patients with irregular heart rhythms caused by heart failure, heart damage, medications or age.