In addition to gathering your medical history and performing a thorough physical exam, there are many tests and tools available to help determine what type of arrhythmia you have and its severity. Some common diagnostic tests include:
Echocardiogram – An echocardiogram using ultrasound waves to visualize the structures of the heart. An exam can be used to diagnose structural abnormalities of the heart, assess valvular function and look for clots in the atria prior to an ablation procedure. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is also used to guide physicians during various electrophysiology procedures.
Electrocardiogram (EKG) – An electrocardiogram provides physicians with important information about the heart’s rhythm by recording its electrical signals. In order to view the heart’s electrical signals, electrodes are placed in various places on the patient’s chest and limbs. An EKG is a non-invasive, painless and safe diagnostic tool in electrophysiology.
Electrophysiology (EP) Study – An EP study is a minimally invasive procedure that involves placing specialized catheters in the heart via a patient’s blood vessels. The specialized catheters allow a physician to see the electrical conduction of the heart with much greater detail than the surface EKG can provide. During an EP study, a physician can provoke an arrhythmia using several methods. An EP study can provide a definitive diagnosis of an arrhythmia and information essential in the selection of the appropriate treatment.
Event Recorder – An event recorder is a small device with several electrodes on it. When a patient feels that they are in an arrhythmia, the device is placed on the patient’s chest and the arrhythmia is recorded. The patient can then send the recording to the physician over a telephone. The event recorder allows the physician to monitor infrequent arrhythmias over a longer period of time than a Holter monitor would allow, but is limited to arrhythmias the patient can feel and record.
Holter Monitor – A Holter monitor is a special type of EKG that is worn by a patient for up to seven days. The results of a Holter monitor can be very useful in diagnosing arrhythmias that are intermittent.
Implantable Loop Recorder – This device is used to help diagnose cardiac arrhythmias that are difficult to detect, such as those that occur only sporadically. This is a temporary implant that creates a record of the patient’s heart rate and rhythm for later analysis, after which it is removed.
cardiac stress test – a test that measure’s the heart’s ability to respond to external stress, such as strenuous physical exercise.
tilt table test – a test to determine the cause of fainting, lightheadedness or dizziness, which involves tilting the patient upright at 70-80 degree angle for 30-45 minutes while monitoring heart rate and blood pressure.
Transesophageal echocardiogram [TEE] – an internal Echo, during which an ultrasound transducer positioned on an endoscope is guided down the patient’s throat and into the esophagus, providing a view of the heart’s chambers and valves.