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Electrophysiology Testing (Arrhythmia)

What Is Electrophysiology Testing?

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When rhythmic disturbances (ex: arrhythmia) affect the heart, electrophysiology testing can help diagnose the cause, location, and treatment of the problem.  The test records the heart’s electrical activity and pathways in order to highlight the disruptions.  It allows doctors to reproduce irregular heartbeats in a controlled environment to determine the best medication.  The procedure also helps identify what type of devices or treatments would most benefit the patient.   

During electrophysiology testing, intravenous lines are started in the arm or hand to sedate patients without putting them sleep.  The patients are then connected to several monitors for observation.  The groin, which is the access point for the procedure, is shaved and sterilized.  Afterwards, several catheters are run from the groin to the chest to detect the electrical activity of the heart.   

A pacemaker stimulates the heart rate to induce rhythmic irregularities and determine what method of treatment is most effective.  Because the patients are still awake, they can feel their heart palpitations quickening, which can be frightening.  The IV introduces different medicines to test which drugs are best suited for correcting the irregularity.  Electrophysiology testing generally takes 2-4 hours, but it can last longer to find the right treatment.  After testing, patients usually require at least another 1-2 hours to recover. 
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