Heart rhythm problems can develop for a number of reasons. Birth defects, damage from a heart attack, scar tissue, or even an infection may cause arrhythmias. Other causes include an abnormal electrical pathway in the heart, or environmental triggers such as stress, caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, diet pills, and cough and cold medicines. As people age, they are more likely to experience an arrhythmia.
The signs and symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias can range from having no symptoms to experiencing extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, anxiety, heart palpitations, dizziness, loss of consciousness or sudden cardiac death.
Afib
The most common irregular heart rhythm in the United States is atrial fibrillation, affecting about 2.2 million people. More than 160,000 new cases of atrial fibrillation are diagnosed each year.
Atrial fibrillation originates in the atria (top chambers of the heart). Instead of the electrical impulse traveling in an orderly fashion through the heart, multiple impulses begin and spread through the atria, causing a rapid and disorganized heartbeat.
At one time atrial fibrillation was thought to be a harmless annoyance. We now know that ongoing atrial fibrillation is associated with heart failure, blood clots, a five to sevenfold increase in stroke, and increased mortality from heart disease. Therefore, people who suspect they have atrial fibrillation or those who have been diagnosed with it should seek the care of a heart rhythm specialist, also known as an electrophysiologist (EP).
The goal of treatment for atrial fibrillation includes a return to normal heart rhythm, control of heart rate, and prevention of blood clots and strokes. There are many treatment options available today, most of which are minimally-invasive with quick recoveries.
Heart rhythm experts at King’s Daughters
The heart has an electrical system that causes it to contract and relax. When the electrical system doesn’t function properly, the heart can begin to flutter uselessly or beat too slowly or too rapidly. EP physicians provide a wide range of services to evaluate and treat cardiac rhythm problems, prescribe medication to help the heart beat normally, and, when necessary, can perform special surgical procedures to treat irregular rhythms. Electrophysiologists also manage complex pacemaker problems and treat patients with congestive heart failure.
In 1999, King’s Daughters established the region’s first comprehensive electrophysiology program. The KDMC team includes electrophysiologists John Van Deren III, M.D., Terence Ross, M.D., and Bipinpreet Nagra, M.D., along with specially trained nurses and technologists. In addition, cardiothoracic surgeon Robert Fried, M.D., has specialized training to perform an open procedure as well as a minimally invasive procedure to treat atrial fibrillation. In many cases, these physicians can cure electrical problems of the heart, enabling the patient to stop taking blood thinners and other cardiac medications that can cause side effects, and enjoy a better quality of life.
King’s Daughters specialists perform more electrophysiology procedures than any other hospital in the region, attracting patients from a 100-mile radius as well as from even farther away. Research shows that physicians and hospitals that perform more procedures have the best results. The KDMC electrophysiology team last year performed 1,100 electrophysiology tests and procedures.
Patients are choosing the physician and hospital with the most experience and the best results. Now that’s something to put a skip in your step.
For a free brochure about the KDMC Electrophysiology Program, to schedule a speaker for your organization or group, or for a physician referral, please call 1-888-377-KDMC or visit online at kdmc.com.
What is EF?
We can feel our hearts beating, especially when we’re exercising, but most of us don’t know our heart’s ejection fraction (EF). This measurement is the proportion, or fraction, of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat. A normal heart pumps out slightly more than half of the heart’s blood with each beat, which can be from 50 to 75 percent. An abnormal ejection fraction is 40 percent or less.
If you have had an echocardiogram, a MUGA test or a cardiac catheterization, you can find out from your doctor what your ejection fraction is. If you have a low EF, you may be eligible to receive special medications or an implanted device that can improve the amount of blood your heart pumps into your body. These treatments can give you more energy, and reduce your risk of developing heart failure.
How to find us
The heart rhythm specialists associated with King’s Daughters can be contacted by calling these offices:
Cumberland Cardiology – Main Office
Medical Plaza B • 613 23rd Street, Suite 230
Ashland KY 41101 • (606) 324-4745
Cumberland Cardiology – Barboursville Office
6007 U.S. 60 East, Suite 308 • Barboursville WV 25504
(304) 733-6293
SV Cardiology – Main Office
KDMC Heart & Vascular Center • 2201 Lexington Ave., Suite G10 • Ashland KY 41101
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