What is electrophysiology?

Electrophysiology studies the electrical impulses in your body that direct physiological (bodily) functions.

The rhythm of your heart is set by the electrical impulses that move from the upper to the lower chambers of your heart. This rhythm also supports the pumping of the heart and the movement of blood through each chamber.

The Arizona Heart Rhythm Center’s cardiovascular specialists include experts in cardiac electrophysiology. They perform electrophysiology studies (EPS) to evaluate your heart’s electrical activity and diagnose an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia).

Am I a candidate for an electrophysiology study?

Your Arizona Heart Rhythm Center provider determines if you need an EPS after a consultation. If you have an arrhythmia or your provider suspects you have one, you might need an EPS.

They do the test to:

• Find the source of your arrhythmia
• Assess the effectiveness of your arrhythmia treatment
• Determine the best course of action for your arrhythmia
• See if you need a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)

The Arizona Heart Rhythm Center might also recommend the EPS to assess your heart health and risk of complications (like a stroke or heart attack) related to your abnormal heartbeat.

What happens during an electrophysiology study?

The Arizona Heart Rhythm Center performs the EPS in their catheter laboratory (cath lab). Your provider applies electrodes to your chest that connect to an electrocardiogram (EKG) machine. The machine monitors your heart’s electrical activity. A blood pressure cuff is placed on your arm to track your blood pressure throughout the procedure.

Your provider can give you a sedative to reduce your anxiety and pain during the procedure. After cleaning the skin around your groin and injecting a local anesthetic, your cardiovascular specialist inserts a catheter into a blood vessel and threads it up toward your heart.

The catheter has special sensors that record your heart’s electrical signals to determine electrical function. Your provider might give you medication that triggers your arrhythmia so that they can learn how best to treat it.

What happens after an electrophysiology study?

After completing your electrophysiology study, your provider removes the catheter and sends you to the recovery area for observation. Once you’re discharged, you should avoid driving for 24 hours after your EPS.

The Arizona Heart Rhythm Center schedules a follow-up appointment to review the results of your study.

Call the Arizona Heart Rhythm Center today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about electrophysiology.