Heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) cause your heart to beat out of control, either too quickly, too slowly or irregularly. At the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center, we offer expert care for all types of arrhythmias.
What Is Cardiac Electrophysiology?
Cardiac electrophysiology is cardiology (heart care) that focuses on the heart’s electrical system, which controls your heartbeat. Our electrophysiologists are cardiologists who specialize in diagnosing and treating arrhythmias, disorders of the heart’s electrical system.
Why Choose Barnes-Jewish Hospital for Cardiac Electrophysiology?
Our arrhythmia specialists lead the field in patient care and research to improve diagnosis and treatment. People come to us from across the St. Louis region and surrounding states because we offer:
- Internationally recognized expertise: Our experienced specialists have advanced, fellowship training and board certifications in cardiology and electrophysiology. We offer the widest range of treatment options for complex, life-threatening arrhythmias of any medical center within hundreds of miles of St. Louis. Learn more about our center of excellence in arrhythmia and heart rhythm disorders.
- Comprehensive care: Our team is experienced in all the latest minimally invasive procedures to treat arrhythmias. We provide ongoing care, with remote monitoring and in our device clinic, for people with heart devices, such as pacemakers. If you need more advanced care for arrhythmia or a related heart condition, we coordinate with our cardiac surgeons.
- Locations across St. Louis: You receive treatment at our main location, Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Our center has three dedicated, fully equipped electrophysiology labs, where we perform diagnostic procedures and treatment. You can also schedule office visits at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital and the Barnes-Jewish Center for Advanced Medicine – South County. Find our locations.
- Leaders in arrhythmia research: Our team is at the forefront of research to develop tomorrow’s standards of care for arrhythmias and other heart rhythm conditions. Our ongoing clinical trials offer access to promising new treatments before they are available to the public. As our patient, you may be eligible to participate in these research studies. Learn more about our innovation.
Conditions We Treat With Cardiac Electrophysiology
At the Heart & Vascular Center, our electrophysiologists treat all types of conditions affecting the heart’s electrical system. We have experience in arrhythmias caused by underlying heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, adult congenital heart disease and cardiomyopathy.
Our team has specific expertise in various types of arrhythmias, some of which can become life-threatening. The conditions we treat include:
Cardiac Electrophysiology Treatments and Services
Electrophysiology treatments are minimally invasive procedures using catheters (long, thin tubes) inserted into a tiny incision. We guide the catheter through a blood vessel to access the heart for treatment.
Our electrophysiologists specialize in all the latest procedures for diagnosis and treatment. Find out more about procedures for arrhythmia and heart rhythm disorders, including:
- catheter ablation, which uses electrical energy to treat areas of heart tissue where arrhythmias occur
- electrical cardioversion, which delivers a controlled electric shock to restore a regular heart rhythm
- electrophysiology study, a catheter procedure to evaluate the heart’s electrical system and diagnose arrhythmias
- pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), tiny devices that we implant in the chest to regulate heart rhythm
- procedures to reduce stroke risk for people who have atrial fibrillation
Our electrophysiology team has access to all the diagnostic services and treatments available at the Heart & Vascular Center. Find out more about our diagnostic testing for heart disease, cardiac surgery and coronary artery disease treatment.
Our Cardiac Electrophysiology Team
Our electrophysiologists are internationally recognized for their expertise in treating even the rarest, most complex heart rhythm disorders. Our team includes surgeons and other specialists for comprehensive care. Find a doctor.
Your care team may include:
- cardiologists, or doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating heart conditions
- cardiac surgeons who perform minimally invasive and open-heart surgeries
- electrophysiologists, or cardiologists who specialize in arrhythmias and other conditions related to the heart’s electrical system
- interventional cardiologists who perform minimally invasive procedures using catheters to access the heart
- radiologists who specialize in cardiac imaging for diagnosis and treatment
Contact Us
To make an appointment with a Washington University cardiologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, call 314-362-1291.