In the normal heart, electrical impulses flow through the specialized conductive cells in an ordered fashion causing the heart to beat in a regular way and at appropriate rates. Any disturbance or interruption of the normal electrical system can give rise to heart rhythm disturbances or ARRYTHMIAS. An ECG is the first test on the path to diagnosing an arrhythmia, however, if the arrhythmia happens only occasionally, a normal ECG may not be enough to diagnose and therefore treat the arrhythmia properly.
An Electrophysiological study (EPS) is an invasive procedure carried out in our specially designed cardiac cath labs kitted out with the most advanced EP technology and equipment. The procedure is performed by a highly specialized rhythm management cardiologist.
The procedure involves passing catheter electrodes in to the vein in the groin under local anesthetic and guiding them into position around the heart under X Ray imaging. The electrode catheters are then connected to a large external EP device and electrical data is gathered from the small complex signals generated from various locations' inside the heart. During this procedure, the cardiologist may be able to provoke arrhythmias and therefore analyze the 'map' of electrical signals during the event.
This provides the cardiologists with diagnostic information and will help her decide on the appropriate treatment for the specific arrhythmia. Depending on the type of arrhythmia, some patients may be referred for an ablation procedure.
