Services Offered at Our Heart Arrhythmia Clinic
The Arrhythmia Clinic at South Denver Cardiology Associates provides comprehensive treatment for a wide range of heart arrhythmia conditions. We strive to provide high quality, patient-centered care that promotes early intervention and streamlined access to aggressive risk factor management.
We’ve modeled our clinic after other cardiologist-supervised, nurse practitioner-led clinics that have achieved greater levels of success than many traditional models of care. This approach to arrhythmia care has been found to be highly effective in:
- Controlling arrhythmias and symptoms
- Preventing hospitalization
- Decreasing cost
- Preventing stroke
- Treating other contributing health issues
We take pride in providing cutting edge treatments supported by the latest research in order to develop a customized care plan tailored to your specific needs.
What Is an Arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia is an abnormality in the timing or pattern of your heartbeat. It can manifest in a variety of ways, including a heart that beats too quickly, too slowly or in an irregular heartbeat. Arrhythmias develop when you have a problem with the electrical signals that control your heart’s contractions.
There are a many different types of arrhythmias, ranging from harmless to life-threatening. Some types of arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (Afib), may increase your risk of serious conditions such as stroke.
Common arrhythmia symptoms include:
- Heart palpitations
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Fainting
However, in many cases you may not exhibit noticeable symptoms when you have an arrhythmia.
Diagnostic Services Offered at Our Arrhythmia Clinic
During your initial appointment, our team will perform a comprehensive cardiac evaluation. Diagnostic tools used to detect arrhythmia problems include:
- Ambulatory rhythm monitoring (event monitors, Holter monitors, Loop Records)
- EKG to record your heart’s electrical activity
- Electrophysiology study
- Wearable devices
Once your diagnostic evaluation has been completed and we determine the exact type of arrhythmia you have, we’ll recommend the cardiologist on our team who is best suited to provide the treatment you need.
Our Approach to Arrhythmia Treatment
Your comprehensive arrhythmia management plan will be facilitated by our dedicated Arrhythmia Clinic team. Your appointments will be conducted by a nurse in collaboration with a nurse practitioner. All clinic visits are reviewed and overseen by one of our electrophysiologists. Once your arrhythmia is effectively managed, you’ll be transitioned into the care of a cardiologist who will serve as your primary care provider moving forward.
Arrhythmias We Treat
Our clinic provides comprehensive treatments for many different types of arrhythmia, including:
- Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) – A condition where your heart’s upper chambers beat chaotically and irregularly, out of sync with the lower chambers. This is the most common type of arrhythmia.
- Typical Atrial Flutter – This type of irregular heartbeat occurs when your heart’s upper chambers beat too fast in a coordinated pattern, causing the heart to pump too fast and less efficiently.
- Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) – A fast heart rhythm starting in the upper heart chambers and traveling to the bottom chambers, often through extra connections in your heart’s circuitry.
- Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) and Nonsustained Ventricular Tachycardia (NSVT) – PVCs are extra heartbeats coming from the lower heart chambers. NSVT refers to three or more consecutive PVCs lasting less than 30 seconds.
- Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) – A fast and chaotic heart rhythm originating from the lower chambers of the heart that lasts more than 30 seconds. This condition is life threatening.
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs) – This type of arrhythmia occurs when you have extra beats coming from the upper chambers of your heart.
- Bradycardia – A slow heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute, caused by slowed electrical conduction through the heart.
Treatment Options Offered at Our Arrhythmia Clinic
At South Denver Cardiology Associates, we perform a variety of electrophysiology procedures to treat heart arrhythmias. These include:
- Cardioversion – Cardioversions are performed to treat abnormal electrical signals in the heart.
- Atrioventricular (AV) Node Ablation – This procedure is commonly performed to treat conditions that cause your heart to beat too fast, such as Afib, atrial flutter and SVT.
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation – This procedure is commonly performed on Afib patients who are highly symptomatic or who experience structural changes/damage to their heart due to their condition. The goal of the procedure is to treat the underlying cause of your Afib.
- Pacemaker Implant – A pacemaker is implanted into your body to monitor your heart’s electrical activity and when necessary, generate a small electrical impulse which signals the heart to pump. They are mostly used to prevent slow heart rates (bradycardia).
- Cardioneural Ablation – This procedure is performed to treat the recurring sudden drops in heart rate that cause fainting.
- SVT Ablation – This procedure is performed to treat fast heart rhythms caused by SVT.
- Typical Atrial Flutter Ablation – This treatment is performed to treat irregular heartbeats caused by atrial flutter.
- PVC and VT Ablation – These procedures are used to treat abnormal heart rhythms originating from the lower heart chambers.
- Defibrillator Implant – A defibrillator implant is placed inside your body to monitor your heart. If it detects a dangerous heart rhythm that may cause cardiac arrest, it tries to pace the rhythm away. If this pacing isn’t successful, it delivers an electric shock to correct your heart rhythm.
South Denver Cardiology Associates Can Help
The Arrhythmia Clinic at South Denver Cardiology Associates is the premier treatment center for heart arrhythmias in the Denver area. Our team of highly trained and experienced electrophysiologists and nurse practitioners will work with you to develop a customized treatment plan to manage your condition long term.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation. South Denver Cardiology Associates serves patients in Denver, Littleton and the surrounding areas of Colorado.
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As with any health concerns, your specific treatment program should be discussed thoroughly with your primary care physician as well as any specialists who may need to be consulted – like a cardiologist.
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