What is it?
EP studies are used to detect where a heart arrhythmia comes from and why they occur. This is a great way for doctors to come up with the next step of treatment for the patients whether it is medication or a pacemaker.
How to Prepare?
When going into an EPS it is important that the patient doesn’t eat anything six to eight hours prior to the test. Patients should speak to their doctor about any medications they take before the appointment. Bring hearing aids or glasses to the appointment and make sure the patient remembers to have someone ready to bring them home.
What Happens During the Process?
When a patient receives an EPS the nurse will place an IV in the patient’s arm to distribute a sedative. The doctor will have to shave the area of the body they will be working on. Usually, the doctor will shave the groin area. The patient will be given a local anesthetic, after the patient will have a sheath placed. EP catheters will then be placed into the blood vessel through the sheath. Doctors will send pulses through the EP catheters to have the heart beat in different ways. This helps identify whether or not there is an arrhythmia. The process usually takes around three hours.
Risks:
- Arrhythmia
- Dizziness
- Blood Clotting
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Bruising
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