Heart Rhythm Disorders

Electrophysiology cardiologists specialize in the evaluation and treatment of heart rhythm disturbances. There are many types of such disturbances, also often referred to as “arrhythmias” such as atrial fibrillation - a condition which affects millions of people each year and an important cause for stroke.

By Julia H. Indik, MD, PhD

There’s a new choice for preventing stroke these days for patients who have atrial fibrillation, which is the most common heart rhythm disorder in patients over the age of 60. It causes the heart to beat erratically and can lead to a stroke in susceptible people.

By Mathew Hutchinson, MD

It’s a common scenario in a cardiology clinic when the cardiologist informs the patient they have atrial fibrillation (AFib), an abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid and irregular beating. Shock and fear take over, especially once the cardiologist says something about “increased risk of stroke.”