Catheter Ablation
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an abnormal heartbeat, also referred to as arrhythmia, cardiac catheter ablation may be right for you – particularly when medication to control it has been unsuccessful.
At Northwest Regional Heart and Vascular, our highly skilled team of cardiovascular specialists have helped many patients not only correct the causes of their irregular heartbeats, but also return to healthy heart function and living.
What are the most common symptoms of arrhythmia?
Whether the heart is beating too fast or too slow, all arrhythmias have the potential to cause serious symptoms if left untreated. These include:
- A racing heartbeat
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling of fainting and/or weakness
- Heart failure
Our minimally invasive approaches to treating arrhythmia.
If medicine hasn’t worked to control your arrhythmia, if you can’t take medicine to control it or if you have certain types of arrhythmia, your cardiologist may recommend cardiac catheter ablation.
At Northwest Regional Heart and Vascular, we have successfully performed catheter ablation on thousands of patients in this area using one of two widely accepted techniques: Radiofrequency Ablation and Cryoablation.
- Radiofrequency ablation uses heat to eliminate the diseased heart tissue and correct the electrical signals and pathways that are causing the irregular heartbeat.
- Cryoablation is just the opposite. It relies on very low temperatures to freeze and ultimately repair the parts of the heart that are causing the erratic disruption.
What to expect during the procedure
During the procedure, a catheter (a thin, long tube) is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and slowly guided to the heart, and the site of the problem. The procedure can take up to 6 hours and you will be closely monitored and cared for by a team of cardiologists the entire time.
Depending of the type of ablation procedure, being performed, patients may be able to leave the hospital the same day, or be monitored in hospital overnight.
Are you a candidate for catheter ablation?
There are many factors that can out you at risk of irregular heartbeat. For example:
- Coronary artery disease
- Untreated diabetes
- Congenital heart defects
- Caffeine, nicotine and drug-use
- Thyroid problems
For many patients, medication and/or lifestyle changes may be the best course of action. However, in certain cases, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to correct the damaged heart tissue causing the irregular heartbeat.
Know that the cardiovascular team at Northwest Regional Heart and Vascular will review your case thoroughly and help you make the best arrhythmia solution for you.
If you would like to learn more about Catheter Ablation or to schedule an appointment in Portland, please call us to schedule a consultation: (503) 257-0959.