Heart Rhythm Disorders
A heart rhythm disorder, known as an arrhythmia, is characterized by abnormal heart beat - too fast, too slow or uneven. Many arrhythmias don't pose a serious health danger, but for patients who require treatment, arrhythmia specialists at Baldwin Health can provide advanced care.
Arrhythmia specialists utilize technology to measure the heart's electrical activity and identify damage to the heart. Doctors use tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), or a Holter monitor, which records heart activity over a period of time, to diagnose arrhythmias.
Depending on the type and severity of the arrhythmia, there are a range of treatment options. We provide arrhythmia treatment from lifestyle-modification assistance to complex surgical treatment. Our services include:
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Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) - ICDs are small battery-powered electrical impulse generators which are implanted in patients who are at risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular fibrillation. The devices are programmed to detect cardiac arrhythmia and correct it by delivering a jolt of electricity.
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Pacemakers - A pacemaker is a device that sends small electrical impulses to the heart muscle to maintain a suitable heart rate or to stimulate the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). A pacemaker may also be used to treat fainting spells (syncope), congestive heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The types of pacemakers are single chamber, dual chamber and biventricular. Your doctor will decide what type of pacemaker you need based on your heart condition. Your doctor also determines the minimum rate (lowest heart rate) to set your pacemaker. When your heart rate drops below the set rate, the pacemaker generates (fires) an impulse that passes through the lead to the heart muscle. This causes the heart muscle to contract, creating a heartbeat.
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Radiofrequency ablation - This procedure treats rapid or irregular heartbeats. It involves using mild, painless radiofrequency energy to destroy cells in the heart that are creating the extra impulses causing the irregular rhythms.
Electrophysiology (EP) Lab
Baldwin Health's electrophysiology lab offers a way of treating and diagnosing irregular heartbeats by placing catheters in the chamber of the heart to measure electrical activity. This allows for an accurate diagnosis, which is then treated with radio frequency. The EP lab improves the quality of life in our community by decreasing the risk of stroke, heart attack, the use of medication and providing the community with quick and easy access to an EP lab with award winning care.
Our specialty arrhythmia program features electrophysiology capabilities for evaluating the heart's electrical system. When a condition calls for intervention, cardiologists may offer minimally invasive techniques in the cath lab, including the placement of loop recorders, pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac ablation.
To find an electrophysiologist for your heart care at Baldwin Health, please visit the physician directory.