Read about the advanced therapies performed for heart rhythm disorders at Oklahoma Heart Hospital and stay connected with the Heart Rhythm Institute.
Heart Rhythm Institute Blog
Posted on September 1st, 2021
Every heartbeat is controlled by a series of electrical impulses that tell each part of the heart when to contract. There is normal variation in this system in response to movement, sleep, and stress, but sometimes the electrical impulses fire out of sync. When that happens, it leads to an abnormal rhythm or arrhythmia where heartbeats are irregular, too fast, or too slow.
Not all... Read More
Posted on August 1st, 2021
If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart rhythm disorder, your doctor may have talked to you about a procedure called a cardiac catheterization. Cardiac catheterization can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of many different heart disorders and is relatively common for patients with heart rhythm disorders.
What is cardiac catheterization?
Cardiac catheterization is a procedure to diagnose... Read More
Posted on July 1st, 2021
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are a common type of arrhythmia where the bottom chambers of the heart (the ventricles) cause extra beats. Typically, each beat of the heart begins in the sinus node in the upper chamber (the atria) of the heart. The electrical impulse from the sinus node causes the atria to contract and send blood into the ventricle. When the ventricle beats sooner than... Read More
Posted on May 1st, 2021
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a genetic disease that involves a defect in the cells that hold the heart muscle together. Over time, the damaged cells are replaced by scar tissue and fat deposits. This impacts the structure of the heart muscle and interrupts the heart’s electrical system, which can result in an arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm. While the name of the... Read More
Posted on April 1st, 2021
There are many different types of heart rhythm disorders and many different medications that can be used to treat them. After diagnosing a heart rhythm disorder, your doctor will formulate a treatment plan that fits your individual situation. Treatment could range from simply monitoring a slight arrhythmia for changes to prescribing medications or recommending a surgical procedure or implantable... Read More
Posted on March 1st, 2021
Oklahoma Heart Hospital now offers a new treatment option for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AFib). In fall 2020, the FDA approved the Thermocool Smarttouch Catheter for use in AFib patients. This new treatment offers better long-term results for those with persistent atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia, especially among older people. In patients with... Read More
Posted on February 1st, 2021
It’s important to know that a history of heart disease raises your risk for having a severe case of COVID-19. This truth became evident early in the pandemic, and we are still learning all the ways and reasons that coronavirus affects the heart. While heart disease does not increase the risk of contracting the virus, it does increase the risk of severe complications.
The virus that causes... Read More
Posted on January 1st, 2021
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) is a rare condition affecting the electrical pathways that regulate how the heart beats. With WPW, there is an extra electrical pathway between the heart’s upper and lower chambers, which causes the lower chambers to beat too early and the heart to beat rapidly.
This extra electrical pathway is present from birth. WPW is associated with the presence of other... Read More
Posted on December 1st, 2020
Atrial flutter is a heart rhythm disorder where the upper chambers, or the atria, beat too quickly. In addition to beating faster than normal overall, the upper chambers also beat faster in relationship to the ventricles, or lower chambers.
A group of cells called the sinus node stimulates the heart to beat, and an electrical pathway flows around your heart to regulate the rhythm. This... Read More
Posted on November 1st, 2020
Bradycardia is the term used for an abnormally slow heart rhythm. While normal heart rate can vary a bit from one person to the next, generally healthy hearts beat between 60 and 100 beats per minute when at rest. A resting heart rate of less than 60 BPM could indicate bradycardia. For some people, specifically athletes and those who are physically active, lower resting heart rates are still... Read More