In EP testing, catheters are placed in the heart to understand how electrical signals move through it to create a beat. If you are diagnosed with an arrhythmia, like afib or tachycardia, an EP test can help understand how electrical signals are moving in your heart. An EP study is also done at the beginning of a cardiac ablation for arrhythmia treatment. If you are going to have heart surgery during which an ablation may be performed, an EP study may be recommended.
Your doctor will provide you with directions before the test. Usually these include no food or drink for a number of hours before your test. They will also tell you whether you should take your regular medications. Usually they will tell you to stop taking antiarrhythmic drugs for several days. They will also give you special instruction if you have an ICD or pacemaker.
Before the procedure, an IV line will be inserted into your arm to give you medications if needed during the procedure. A local anesthetic will be given to numb the area near a vein in your arm, neck or groin. Your doctor will insert a needle into the vein and place a sheath through the needle. Catheters will be threaded through the sheath and guided to several places in your heart. A dye might be injected into the catheter to serve as a contrast to see the blood vessels and the heart using an X-ray. The electrodes at the tip of the catheters can be used to send electrical impulses to your heart and record activity.
After the completion of the study, you will be moved to a recovery room to rest for 4-6 hours. Your heartbeat and blood pressure will be monitored continuously to check for complications. Most people can go home the same day. You should have someone drive you home after the test. It is normal to feel sore where the catheter was inserted for a few days.
EP studies, like any catheterization, do have some risks. These include bleeding or infection where the catheter was inserted, damage to blood vessels if the catheter scraped them as it traveled to the heart, puncture or damage to the heart or its valves. Other risks include damage to the heart's electrical system, blood clots, stroke, heart attack, and in some rare cases, death. Make sure you watch the insertion site for bleeding, fluid leakage, sudden increases in swelling, bruising, and changes in color at the insertion site. Call your doctor immediately if the insertion site feels numb, or your arms or legs feel abnormally cold or change color. The risks and benefits of this study should be discussed beforehand with your doctor.
