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Electrophysiologic Testing


Electrophysiologic testing is used to evaluate serious abnormalities in heart rhythm or electrical conduction (see Overview of Abnormal Heart Rhythms).


How electrophysiologic testing is done

Testing is done in the hospital. After injecting a local anesthetic, a doctor inserts a catheter with tiny electrodes at its tip through a needle puncture of a vein in the groin, arm, or neck. The catheter is threaded through the major blood vessels into the heart chambers, using fluoroscopy (a continuous x-ray procedure) for guidance. The catheter is used to record the electrocardiogram (ECG) from within the heart and to identify the precise location of the electrical conduction pathways.

Radiofrequency ablation is sometimes done during the procedure to destroy any abnormal electrical connections in the heart and prevent the person from having further arrhythmias without the need for ongoing drug therapy.

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