Denton Regional Medical Center Introduces New Technology to Treat Abnormal Heart Rhythms
By Rao Naseem, MD, Denton County LIVING WELL Magazine
For over 30 years, Denton Regional Medical Center has been at the heart of cardiac care in the Denton community. From opening the first cardiac catheterization lab in Denton County, to performing the first minimally invasive robotic heart surgery in the area, Denton Regional has continually invested in state-of-the-art technologies and pioneered new procedures that provide patients with better outcomes, smaller incisions, and shorter hospital stays.
As part of this mission, Denton Regional recently introduced a new service to the Denton community to better diagnose and treat patients with abnormal heart rhythms.
What is an Electrophysiology Lab?
An electrophysiology (EP) lab offers patients the opportunity to have their arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, tested, diagnosed and treated. An irregular heartbeat can lead to heart complications, fatigue, congestive heart failure or stroke. The EP lab focuses on the electrical function of the heart and treats various conditions immediately. Common services offered in an electrophysiology lab include:
- Cardiac mapping. This process can map and detect specific electrical activity of the heart in real time. Any electric irregularities can be immediately diagnosed and potentially treated.
- Ablation studies. This non-surgical, minimally invasive process involves threading a small catheter into the heart. Electric impulses are studied and then potentially blocked or treated to create a regular rhythm in the heart.
- Defibrillator implantation. For those with a dangerously irregular heart rhythm and a very high risk of cardiac death, physicians may choose to implant a defibrillator. This device can detect a dangerous rhythm and shock the heart back into a regular pace. The device is implanted into a small incision near the heart and connected electrically to the heart.
Author Dr. Rao Naseem specializes in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and clinical cardiac electrophysiology.
To learn more about the Denton Regional Heart Center, visit dentonregional.com
or call 1-855-477-DRMC for a physician referral.
