Arrhythmia Tests & Treatments at University of Colorado Hospital

Tests for Arrhythmia

It is important for your doctor to know where the arrhythmia starts in your heart and whether it is abnormal. One or more of the following tests are commonly used to detect arrhythmias:

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

This test determines the rate and regularity of the heartbeat. The ECG is administered with wires that are painlessly attached to your body and removed once the test is finished. The wires detect electrical signals from the heart, which are recorded on a machine for the doctor’s review.

Holter monitors, or portable ECG units

Worn by an arrhythmia patient to monitor the heart 24 hours a day.

Tilt table

This test evaluates your response (changes in heart rate and blood pressure) to moving from lying down to sitting up.

Electrophysiologic (EP) study

Maps the electrical signals generated by the heart. The EP study requires the insertion of a thin tube (catheter) through a vein.

Arrhythmia Treatments

Lifestyle changes

Beneficial lifestyle changes include quitting smoking and limiting alcohol and caffeine.

Medicine

Your doctor may prescribe medicines to prevent and control arrhythmias and to treat related conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure.

Anticoagulants

Anticoagulants (blood thinners) may be prescribed to reduce your risk of blood clots and stroke.

Pacemaker

A pacemaker helps your heart beat regularly. A pacemaker is a small generator, implanted under the skin, that produces the electrical impulses that stimulate the heart to contract and pump blood to the rest of the body.

Cardiac Defibrillation

Cardiac defibrillation and implanted cardiovertor defibrillators (ICD). Defibrillation is a way of returning a heartbeat to normal with a very brief electrical shock. Internal defibrillators can be placed under the skin in the upper chest.

Cardiac ablation

A doctor performs this procedure by putting a catheter in a vein and guiding it to the heart. The tip of the catheter delivers small bursts of energy that destroy very small areas of heart tissue that cause arrhythmias.