Our Services / Cardiac Arrhythmia Management

What is cardiac arrhythmia management?

Cardiac arrhythmia management refers to the comprehensive care you receive for an irregular heartbeat. 

Your arrhythmia management begins with your first consultation, includes ongoing diagnostic testing, and encompasses the treatments you receive to ease symptoms, improve your heart function, and repair the underlying problem.

What conditions are covered by cardiac arrhythmia management?

Arrhythmias cause an irregular heartbeat, making your heart beat too quickly (tachycardia), too slowly (bradycardia), or chaotically. An irregular heartbeat can't pump blood through your heart. As a result, you can develop a range of symptoms and complications.

Supraventricular arrhythmias involve the heart's upper chambers. These conditions include:

• Atrial fibrillation
• Atrial tachycardia
• Atrial flutter
• Premature atrial contractions
• Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
• Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia
• Accessory pathway tachycardias

Ventricular arrhythmias involve the lower chambers and include:

• Ventricular tachycardia
• Ventricular fibrillation
• Long QT syndrome
• Premature ventricular contractions

No matter what type of arrhythmia you have, you need ongoing management to protect your heart health and prevent complications.

What services are included in cardiac arrhythmia management?

Coastal Cardiology of Orange County manages your cardiac arrhythmia with treatment that includes lifestyle changes together with:

Medications

Coastal Cardiology of Orange County often begins your arrhythmia management with medications. They prescribe medications to treat any underlying conditions that contribute to your arrhythmia, such as high blood pressure.

Your provider also prescribes one of many possible options to treat your arrhythmia directly. For example, you may need to take medications that help regulate your heartbeat or prevent blood clots.

Catheter ablation

Coastal Cardiology of Orange County specializes in minimally invasive procedures that stop the arrhythmia. 

Cardiac ablation uses a catheter that is guided into your heart through your blood vessels. Your provider sends radiofrequency (heat) or cryotherapy (cold) treatments through the catheter, where the heat or cold destroy the cells triggering your irregular heartbeat.

Electrical devices

Electrical devices include pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). Your provider implants both devices, which they use to monitor your heart rate and send a mild electrical impulse when needed to maintain a normal heart rate.

Pacemakers primarily regulate slow heartbeats, while ICDs detect fast, abnormal heartbeats. ICDs prevent cardiac arrest caused by prolonged rapid heartbeats.

If you have a heart arrhythmia, you need ongoing management. To schedule an appointment, call Coastal Cardiology of Orange County, or use the online booking feature today.