Heart arrhythmia
Electrophysiologists in Savannah, Georgia
We work to help your heart rhythm so you can live more comfortably.
At Memorial Health University Medical Center, we care for heart arrhythmias. Based on your condition, we will devise a personalized treatment plan that aims to improve your health and offer long-term relief.
Is your heart healthy?
Being aware of your current level of cardiovascular health is critical for achieving and maintaining optimal wellness. We offer a quick, free health risk assessment to help get you started.
Being aware of your current level of cardiovascular health is critical for achieving and maintaining optimal wellness. We offer a quick, free health risk assessment to help get you started.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation (AFib)
AFib is the most commonly diagnosed arrhythmia. If left untreated, it can seriously impact your quality of life and lead to blood clots, heart failure or stroke. Some severe symptoms may include:
- Breathlessness
- Chest discomfort, pain or pressure
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Fatigue
- Heart fluttering or pounding
- Inability to exercise
- Lightheaded or dizzy feeling
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
Treatment for a heart arrhythmia
In some situations, heart arrhythmias are benign and cause no outward symptoms. However, sometimes they pose a threat to your cardiac health and require treatment.
Blood clot medication management
To widen blood vessels, lower blood pressure, remove excess bodily fluid and help your heart pump at a slower rate, your doctor may prescribe a combination of medications, including:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Beta-blockers
- Digoxin (also called digitalis)
- Diuretics
You may also be given medications to help control high blood pressure and manage chest pain or cholesterol levels.
Cardiac ablations
Cardiac ablations are one way to correct heart rhythm problems. Ablations destroy scar tissue in the heart that's causing the wrong electrical impulses to create an arrhythmia.
Implantable devices
Implantable devices provide electrical stimulation to the distinct areas of the heart that are causing an arrhythmia. These devices allow your heart to maintain a regular heart rate.
There are three types of implantable devices, including:
- Biventricular pacemaker
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
- Pacemaker
Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)
If you have a heart arrhythmia and can't take blood thinners to control bleeding, a left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion is used to reduce your risk of stroke. During this procedure, the heart's left atrial appendage is closed with an LAAC implant to prevent blood from pooling and forming clots.
By closing off the left atrial appendage, over time you may be able to stop taking blood thinners, such as warfarin.
Implanting the LAAC device is a one-time procedure that usually lasts about an hour. Following the procedure, you typically need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours.