Why choose UCLA Health for arrhythmia care?
One of the most extensive cardiac arrhythmia centers in the nation is the UCLA Health Cardiac Arrhythmia Center. Using the most cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, we offer patients of all ages top-notch care. Our program’s other highlights include: Multispecialty care: Experts from several UCLA Health centers collaborate to provide all-encompassing care. Experts in adult congenital heart disease, thoracic surgery, and cardiac surgery make up our team. Additionally, we collaborate closely with the largest heart failure program in the western United States, the Ahmanson UCLA Health Cardiomyopathy Center.
Genetic testing accessibility: A large number of cardiac arrhythmias are inherited. We provide genetic testing and counseling to patients and their families regarding the potential for inherited disorders. Research and training: One important source for training and research is the Cardiac Arrhythmia Center. We provide a fellowship in cardiac electrophysiology, which is the study of the electrical activity of the heart, and we welcome cardiologists from all over the world. To enhance patient care and results, our esteemed research team is influencing the direction of cardiac electrophysiology.
An irregular heartbeat is known as atrial fibrillation. We use cutting-edge methods to treat patients with AFib. Patients with AFib and co-existing conditions like heart failure, congenital heart disease (present from birth), or prior heart surgery are our specialty. Treating patients with inherited arrhythmias is the main goal of this clinical, research, and educational program. We offer thorough assessments to help you comprehend the diagnosis and learn how to treat it. Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a rapid heartbeat that can be fatal. It frequently results from other cardiac issues. Complicated ablation techniques are used in surgery to treat VT. To guarantee patient safety and the best possible results, several cardiac specialists collaborate.
The heart’s rhythm can be impacted by numerous conditions. The Cardiac Arrhythmia Center treats some conditions, such as Atrial fibrillation (AFib): When the two upper chambers of the heart (atria) do not beat in unison, resulting in an irregular or fluttery heartbeat; Atrial flutter: When the atria beat too quickly, frequently causing a fast heartbeat; Bradycardia: A slow heart rate, usually below 60 beats per minute; Tachycardia: A fast heart rate, usually above 100 beats per minute; Premature ventricular contractions: Extra, early heartbeats that begin in the ventricles; Ventricular tachycardia: A fast heart rate that begins in the ventricles; and Ventricular fibrillation: A dangerous, life-threatening a
Medication is often the first line of treatment for arrhythmias. Numerous drugs can slow the progression of heart disease and lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Anticoagulants, sometimes referred to as blood thinners, are common medications that make it harder for blood clots to form. Beta blockers: These medications slow your heart rate, which lowers blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers: By preventing calcium from entering your heart and blood vessels, these medications lower blood pressure and treat arrhythmias.
Implanted devices that track and regulate irregular heart rhythms are beneficial for certain arrhythmia patients. Usually, the devices are positioned in the chest. Some have leads, which are wires that reach the heart. We specialize in challenging or unsuccessful implants and provide outstanding care. Among the services offered is a pacemaker implant, which regulates an irregular heartbeat using low-level electrical impulses. Implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD): An ICD can identify potentially fatal arrhythmias, including those that can result in sudden cardiac arrest. The ICD then shocks the heart back into a regular rhythm by sending high-level electrical pulses.
Lead extraction: While device wires, or leads, should remain in the body for a long time, there are situations when they must be taken out. Rarely, if the device becomes infected, a surgeon might also need to remove it. Our arrhythmia specialists collaborate with cardiac surgeons to remove leads using laser technology. Outpatient Device Clinic: To monitor function and guarantee superior results, our specialists conduct thousands of device checks annually through this clinic. Electrical shocks are used in this nonsurgical procedure to rectify an irregular heartbeat. The heart returns to its regular rhythm in a matter of minutes.
Defibrillation is not the same as electrical cardioversion. In an emergency, defibrillation involves correcting a potentially fatal arrhythmia with stronger shocks. Electrical cardioversion is usually scheduled in advance by doctors. Patients can return home the same day as their treatment because it is an outpatient procedure. In California, we are among only four facilities equipped with a stereotaxis magnetic navigation system. To guide the catheter during ablation, the physician regulates its low-level magnetic field. We can see the catheter’s position in real-time thanks to the system’s integration with both standard and 3D X-rays. We can work even more steadily and precisely thanks to this technology.
Tissues immediately outside the heart muscle can occasionally experience an irregular heartbeat. Our surgeons pass a needle through the chest into the pericardium, the lining of the sac that encloses the heart, to gain access to this region. The catheter ablation tool is then inserted. We had the first program devoted to this cutting-edge technique in the western United States. Our surgical teams and electrophysiologists physicians who specialize in the electrical system of the heart cooperate closely. We employ cutting-edge techniques to treat arrhythmias, like the Maze procedure, a minimally invasive operation that produces scar tissue in the upper heart chambers by applying intense heat or cold energy. AFib is caused by irregular electrical impulses that are blocked by scar tissue.