
Cardiac Electrophysiology – A High-Tech Cure for Irregular Heart Rhythms
Cardiac electrophysiology, the study of irregular heart rhythms, focuses on new, highly specialized technologies to identify, control and sometimes cure certain irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia).
In 1992, after 12 years of experience as an interventional cardiologist with the Heart & Lung Clinic, Dr. Sanathana Murthy completed an intensive year-long training program in cardiac electrophysiology through Stanford University in California. Since completing this program, Dr. Murthy has become board certified by the North American Society for Pacing and Electrophysiology.
“Most of the patients that cardiologists see have some type of arrhythmia,” says Dr. Murthy. “An irregular heart beat is a common problem in otherwise healthy persons. Our goal through cardiac electrophysiology is to pinpoint the problem and find the most effective treatment, or cure the problem completely.”
How does cardiac electrophysiology work?
Before the discovery of cardiac electrophysiology, most patients suffering from irregular heart rhythms needed to take medication for their lifetimes to maintain a regular heart beat. “Sometimes medications help; sometimes they don’t,” says Dr. Murthy. “No cures were known for arrhythmias.”
Cardiac electrophysiology procedures have dramatically changed treatment options. About 95 percent of patients with certain types of these of irregular heart rhythms can be permanently cured through cardiac electrophysiology procedures.
Dr. Murthy begins the procedure to study the patient’s heart by inserting several long narrow tubes called catheters into the veins leading to the heart. Catheters are placed at various sites within the heart to record electrical activity. This generally does not cause discomfort to the patient. Using special equipment, Dr. Murthy can also stimulate the heart to trigger the irregular rhythm. By studying the heart’s electrical activity, he can often identify the type of irregular heart beat and where the rhythm problem begins.
“This is a very sophisticated procedure called a mapping technique,” he says. “We map the chambers of the heart to find irregularities. Sometimes, the beginning of an irregular heart beat may be only a two to three millimeter area. Finding this tiny area is essential to tailoring an effective therapy.”
Sometimes, medication is the only effective option to control an irregular heart rhythm. In other cases, Dr. Murthy may perform a procedure known as cardiac ablation. After finding the source of the irregular heart beat, Dr. Murthy sends a small amount of electrical energy into that tiny area of the heart. This process can permanently cure the patient of the irregular heart rhythm.
“That is the exciting thing about catheter ablation,” he says. “Patients with some kinds of irregular heart rhythms can be cured entirely and free of the problems forever. They may not have to take heart medications for the rest of their lives. It really is amazing.”
Dr. Murthy was the first physician to perform cardiac ablation in the state.
Advice
Anyone who has a persistent irregular or fast heart rhythm should see his or her physician. “Certain arrhythmias have the potential to cause serious problems or even death. It’s very important for those who are experiencing irregular heart rhythms to have them checked by a physician,” says Dr. Murthy. “There is tremendous potential to help people through electrophysiology studies and other technology available today.”
