Arrhythmia Care

Arrhythmia care at VHC Health in Arlington and the DC metro area focuses on diagnosing and treating irregular heartbeats quickly and safely. Early detection lowers the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other serious complications.

What’s Arrhythmia?

An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. If you have an arrhythmia, your heart may beat too quickly, too slowly, or unsteadily. It could cause symptoms such as chest pain, fainting, shortness of breath, or fatigue. Sometimes, without treatment, a heart rhythm disorder can cause serious complications, like a heart attack or stroke.

Types of Arrhythmia

Common types of irregular heartbeats include:

• Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
• Atrial flutter
• Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
• Ventricular tachycardia
• Bradycardia (slow heart rate)

Arrhythmia Symptoms

Ask your doctor to test for an irregular heartbeat if you experience:

• Heart palpitations
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Shortness of breath
• Chest discomfort
• Fatigue

Diagnosing Irregular Heart Rhythm

Arrhythmia is when your heart beats too fast, too slow, or unevenly. Some arrhythmias are harmless, while others require medical care. Diagnostic tests help your care team determine the type of arrhythmia and plan the best treatment.

• Electrocadiogram (EKG) - Records your heart's electrical activity to detect irregular rhythms.
• Holter monitor - Tracks heart rhythm for 24-48 hours using a wearable device
• Loop recorder - Monitors heart rhythm over a longer period of time than 24-48 hours.
• Electrophysiology (EP) Study - Locates abnormal pathways inside the heart
• Tilt-table test - Evaluates heartbeat changes that take place when you change positions.

Arrhythmia Treatments & Procedures

Partner with your cardiologist to set goals for your heart health. The type of arrhythmia and other factors determine which treatments may help you.

• Heart-healthy lifestyle changes and medical monitoring
• Medications - control heart rate, restore a normal rhythm, and reduce stroke risk.

• Cardioversion - Restores a normal rhythm using an electrical shock.

• Pacemakers - Regulate slow heart rhythms using small, implanted devices. 
• Catheter ablation - Destroys small areas of heart tissue, causing abnormal signals. 

• Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) - Detect and correct life-threatening rhythms.

Stroke Prevention & AFib Management 

Atrial fibrillation, or Afib, is a type of arrhythmia. AFib increases your risk of problems like blood clots, heart failure, or stroke. Your cardiologist may suggest:

• WATCHMAN™ device placement – Seals the part of the heart where a stroke-causing blood clot is most likely to happen if you have Afib
• Maze procedure  - Uses minimally invasive techniques if other treatments are not effective.