________________________________________________________________________
KEY POINTS
________________________________________________________________________
An electrophysiology (EP) study is a procedure that may be done to find what is causing an abnormal heart rhythm.
An electrical signal in your heart starts each heartbeat, causing the heart muscle to squeeze (contract). Normally, this signal starts in the upper right chamber of the heart (the right atrium) at a place called the sinus node. The signal then follows pathways to the upper left atrium and to the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles). You may have an abnormal heart rhythm if the electrical signals don’t follow the normal pathways or the nerve cells that make the electrical signals don’t work right.
An EP study uses small tubes called catheters inserted into a blood vessel and up into your heart to check the electrical signals and pathways in your heart. This test can find if the problem is where the electrical signal starts or if the problem is the pathway that the signal takes. It can help your provider find the right treatment for the problem.
An EP study may be done if your healthcare provider thinks there may be a problem with your heart rhythm. For example, your heart may beat faster or more slowly than normal, or it may skip beats or have abnormal beats.
An EP study can also test ways to treat an abnormal heart rhythm. Your provider may use this procedure to cause an abnormal rhythm and then try different medicines to see which medicines work best to bring your heart back to a normal rhythm.
This procedure is usually done at the hospital.
You will be given medicine to keep you from feeling pain during the procedure. A local anesthetic will be given to numb the area where the wires will be inserted, along with medicine to help you relax.
Your healthcare provider will put 1 or more thin, flexible wires through a blood vessel in your groin or neck and into your heart. X-rays will be used to position the catheters in the right place. The wires will check the electrical impulses inside your heart. With the wires, your provider can find your heart's electrical pathways and check their condition. Your provider may use an electrical charge to start an abnormal heart rhythm and then test different medicines to see which medicines help prevent or stop the abnormal rhythm.
The procedure may last an hour or more.
After the procedure you may stay in an observation area for at least a few hours. Depending on your condition, you may need to stay in the hospital for 1 or more days.
You may have a bruise near the puncture site and be uncomfortable for a few days.
Follow your healthcare provider's instructions. Ask your healthcare provider:
Make sure you know when you should come back for a checkup. Keep all appointments for provider visits or tests.
Every procedure or treatment has risks. Some possible risks of this procedure include:
Ask your healthcare provider how these risks apply to you. Be sure to discuss any other questions or concerns that you may have.