Thousands of patients every year are admitted to hospitals because of irregular, fast, or strong heartbeats. For the portion that will eventually be diagnosed with a heart condition, there are important choices to make moving forward. But there is rarely time in a short doctor’s visit to go over all the details.
This comprehensive overview fills that information gap by imparting everything there is to know about abnormal heart rhythms through all stages of care. Dr. Jeffrey L. Williams, MD, MS, FACC, FHRS, CPE, has worked to provide patients with complete information. There are various types of arrhythmias, and the benefits and risks of treatments for each will vary for each individual patient. Patients, as well as their families, need a thorough understanding to make a fully informed decision.
Along with types of treatments, Dr. Williams discusses what is happening on a physiological level and explains the full evaluation process that doctors use. His knowledge, gained over years of study and practice, offers the what, why, and how of this medical issue, so anyone can make the best decisions for the health of his or her family.
What are Palpitations? is available now at Amazon.
Contents include:
1. Basics of Heart Anatomy and the Conduction System
Blood flow through the heart
Electrical conduction system of the heart
Coronary arteries
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
2. Palpitations and Other Symptoms That May Represent Heart-Rhythm Abnormalities (Arrhythmias)
Introduction
What is a normal heart rhythm?
What are abnormal heart rhythms?
What are palpitations?
Other symptoms that may represent heart-rhythm abnormalities
Know your ejection fraction
What are ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia?
Is there a difference between atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation?
Congestive heart failure and risk of arrhythmia
3. How Are Heart-Rhythm Abnormalities Diagnosed?
Introduction
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
Twenty-four-hour Holter monitor
Two- to four-week outpatient telemetry monitor
Hospital telemetry
Smartphone-based applications
Tilt-table test
Implantable loop recorders
Summary
4. Work-up and Evaluation of Heart-Rhythm Disorders (Meeting the Heart-Rhythm Physician)
Introduction
History of present illness (HPI)
Past medical and surgical history (PMH)
Social history
Family history
Physical exam (including vital signs)
Pertinent studies
5. What Are the Common Supraventricular (Top-Chamber) Tachycardias?
Introduction
Premature atrial contractions
AV-node reentrant tachycardia
AV reentrant tachycardia
Atrial tachycardia
Atrial flutter
Atrial fibrillation
6. What Is Atrial Fibrillation?
Introduction
Normal electrical activation versus atrial fibrillation
Signs and symptoms
Causes of atrial fibrillation
Understanding your risk of stroke
Is there a difference between atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation?
Is there a cure for atrial fibrillation?
What is atrial flutter?
7. What Are the Common Ventricular (Bottom-Chamber) Tachycardias?
Premature ventricular contractions
Ventricular tachycardia
Non–coronary disease VT
What are defibrillators?
8. Treatment Options for Arrhythmias
Lifestyle
Can exercise cause heart-rhythm problems?
Medications
Anticoagulation
Ablation
Cardioversion
9. The Electrophysiology Study and Ablation Procedure
Preoperative risk assessment
Use of contrast agents during EP studies or ablations
Thyroid issues
Allergies
Registration and check-in
Informed-consent process
The procedure room
The EP study
How does the doctor place catheters inside the heart?
What happens if my doctor cannot successfully find an arrhythmia?
What happens if my doctor cannot successfully ablate the arrhythmia?
Immediately after the EP study
Day after the EP study
10. Possible Complications of Electrophysiology Studies and Ablations
Introduction
Complications that can occur during or after EP studies
Special EP studies and ablations that may have higher rates of complications and lower success rates
11. Postoperative Care
Care of the vascular access sites (showering/bathing)
Activity limitations
Driving
The first follow-up appointment after the EP study
Lifestyle considerations
12. Psychosocial Impact of Arrhythmias
Adjustment to life after being diagnosed with heart-rhythm abnormalities
Quality of life in heart-rhythm patients
How do arrhythmias affect you and your family?
Arrhythmias in children and young adults
Can you have palpitations without arrhythmias?
13. Conclusion
Heart Rhythm Center 