Abnormal Heart Rhythm |
 |
 |
Arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm created by a disturbance in the heart's electrical system. During an arrhythmia, the heart may beat too fast, too slow or in an irregular pattern. Certain abnormal heart rhythms can be very dangerous and in some cases even fatal. On the other hand, some arrhythmias are common, so-called benign arrhythmias, and aren't associated with health problems.
Years ago, the only treatments for abnormally fast heart rhythms, known as tachycardias, was medication or in extreme cases, open heart surgery. Today, radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) — a procedure pioneered by UCSF cardiologists — destroys the abnormal electrical pathway that causes the condition. The procedure delivers a pinpoint of heat inside the heart. Another procedure, called cryooablation, destroys the abnormal cells or electrical pathway by freezing.
Our pediatric specialists in electrophysiology are leaders in the diagnosis of this condition and in developing treatments for all forms of abnormal heart rhythms in children.
The Pediatric Arrhythmia Center at UCSF Children's Hospital is a collaboration between specialists at UCSF and Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. The combined program provides more than 340 heart procedures for children a year, including 160 radiofrequency ablations. The number of patients we treat makes us one of the largest pediatric arrhythmia programs in the world with the experience to achieve excellent results.
Conditions associated with a rapid heart beat or tachycardia include:
Conditions associated with a slow heartbeat or bradycardia include:
Syncope, or a sudden and brief loss of consciousness, may be caused by a rapid or slow heartbeat.
For more information or to make an appointment, please call:
| Pediatric Heart Center |
(415) 353-2008 |
For help finding a doctor, please contact our Physician Referral Service:
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 14, 2007
|
