If the origin of an apparently serious arrhythmia remains a mystery, or if the doctor needs more specific information before selecting a treatment, you may be asked to undergo electrophysiologic testing.
Electrophysiologic studies are an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool.
In electrophysiologic testing, specialists pass electrode-tipped catheters through blood vessels into the heart. Typically, the catheters are inserted through the veins and into the right atrium and right ventricle. The electrodes record electrical impulses within the heart and allow doctors to trace the heart's conduction pathways. Following the impulses through the heart allows physicians to pinpoint the area where the system breaks down and an arrhythmia starts. In addition to sensing electrical activity within the heart, the electrodes are able to deliver low-level electrical current to heart muscle, much as a pacemaker does.