Electrophysiology & Heart Rhythm Specialist in Florida
Your heart runs on electricity. When that electrical system misfires — sending signals that are too fast, too slow, or completely chaotic — you feel it immediately: palpitations, dizziness, breathlessness, fainting, or that unsettling sensation that your heart is ‘skipping.’ These are arrhythmias, and they’re exactly what our cardiac electrophysiology team is trained to diagnose and treat. At FHVI, our electrophysiologists are sub-specialists — cardiologists who completed additional fellowship training specifically in heart rhythm disorders. And they’re not just available by referral; you can book directly.
What Is Cardiac Electrophysiology?
Cardiac electrophysiology (EP) is the branch of cardiology focused on the heart’s electrical system. Your heart’s normal rhythm is controlled by a natural pacemaker called the sinoatrial (SA) node, which sends electrical signals through a coordinated pathway to make all four chambers contract in the right sequence and at the right time.
When any part of that electrical pathway is disrupted — by disease, scarring, abnormal tissue, or structural heart changes — the result is an arrhythmia. Arrhythmias range from harmless (occasional extra beats that require no treatment) to life-threatening (ventricular fibrillation, which causes sudden cardiac arrest).
An electrophysiologist uses specialized diagnostic studies and a growing array of minimally invasive treatments to identify the exact location of the electrical problem and correct it — often permanently.
Heart Rhythm Conditions We Treat
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) — Most Common
AFib is the most common sustained arrhythmia, affecting millions of Americans. In AFib, chaotic electrical signals in the upper heart chambers (atria) cause them to quiver instead of contract normally. This is significant for two reasons: the heart doesn’t pump efficiently, causing fatigue, breathlessness, and reduced exercise tolerance; and blood can pool in the atria, forming clots that may travel to the brain, causing stroke. AFib treatment ranges from rate-control medications to rhythm-restoring cardioversion to catheter ablation — depending on your type of AFib, symptoms, and overall health.
Atrial Flutter
A more organized but abnormal arrhythmia where the atria beat very rapidly (around 300 times per minute), usually causing the ventricles to beat at 150 beats per minute. Catheter ablation is highly effective for typical atrial flutter, with cure rates exceeding 90%.
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
Sudden episodes of rapid heartbeat that start and stop abruptly — often described as a racing heart that comes on out of nowhere. SVT involves abnormal electrical pathways in the upper heart chambers and is a very common reason young and middle-aged patients see an electrophysiologist. Catheter ablation offers a permanent cure in the majority of SVT cases.
Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) & Ventricular Fibrillation (VF)
These are the most dangerous arrhythmias — originating in the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles). VT can cause severe lightheadedness, blackouts, or sudden cardiac arrest. VF is a medical emergency. Patients with structural heart disease or prior heart attacks are at higher risk. Treatment may involve an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and/or catheter ablation.
Bradycardia & Heart Block
When the heart beats too slowly — or when the electrical signal is blocked from reaching the ventricles — the result is bradycardia. Symptoms include fatigue, lightheadedness, fainting, and exercise intolerance. A permanent pacemaker restores a normal, reliable heart rate.
Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) Syndrome
A congenital accessory electrical pathway that causes pre-excitation of the ventricles and can lead to very fast, dangerous arrhythmias. Catheter ablation is the treatment of choice and is curative in the vast majority of patients.
Electrophysiology Procedures at FHVI
Electrophysiology (EP) Study
A diagnostic procedure performed in our EP lab at Ocala SW 17th Street. Thin electrode catheters are guided through veins in the groin to the heart, where they map the electrical signals and identify the source of the arrhythmia. The cardiologist may intentionally trigger the arrhythmia in a controlled environment to study it — you’ll be sedated and monitored throughout.
Catheter Ablation
Once the abnormal pathway or focus is identified, radiofrequency energy (heat) or cryoablation (freezing) is applied through the catheter to destroy the small area of tissue causing the arrhythmia. For many arrhythmias — including SVT, atrial flutter, and certain types of AFib — this is a one-time outpatient procedure that offers a permanent cure.
Pacemaker Implantation
For patients with bradycardia or heart block, a permanent pacemaker is implanted under the skin near the collarbone. Thin leads are threaded through a vein to the heart chambers, where they deliver small electrical pulses to keep your heart beating at an appropriate rate. The procedure takes 1–2 hours and most patients go home the next day.
Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)
An ICD monitors the heart’s rhythm continuously. If a dangerous ventricular arrhythmia is detected, it delivers a life-saving shock within seconds. For patients who have survived sudden cardiac arrest or are at high risk for VT/VF, an ICD is often the most important protective measure available.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT)
For patients with heart failure whose left and right ventricles don’t beat in synchrony, CRT (also called a biventricular pacemaker) coordinates the timing of each heartbeat to improve pumping efficiency. Many patients experience a significant improvement in exercise tolerance and quality of life.
Electrical Cardioversion
For patients with AFib or atrial flutter, cardioversion delivers a controlled electrical shock to the heart under sedation to reset the rhythm back to normal. This is a brief outpatient procedure — most patients go home within a few hours.
Frequently Asked Questions: Electrophysiology & Arrhythmia Treatment
A: In most cases, no. Florida allows direct access to specialists, and FHVI accepts self-referred patients. Some HMO plans do require a referral from your primary care provider — call us at (352) 572-7730 and we’ll check your specific plan before you schedule.
A: Occasional extra heartbeats — called premature atrial contractions (PACs) or premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) — are extremely common and in many people are completely benign. They’re often triggered by stress, caffeine, poor sleep, or dehydration. However, if skipped beats are frequent, prolonged, or accompanied by dizziness, breathlessness, chest pain, or fainting, you should be evaluated by a cardiologist or electrophysiologist. We can wear a monitor to determine exactly what’s happening with your heart rhythm.
A: AFib is an irregular, often fast heart rhythm caused by chaotic electrical signals in the upper chambers of your heart. Many people live with AFib for years without knowing it. What makes it serious is the stroke risk: when the atria don’t contract properly, blood can pool and clot. Those clots can travel to the brain. AFib increases stroke risk by approximately five times compared to people in normal rhythm. Treatment — whether medication, cardioversion, or ablation — significantly reduces that risk.
A: You’ll be comfortably sedated throughout the procedure, so you won’t feel the catheter threading or the ablation itself. Some patients notice brief warmth or pressure during energy delivery. During the EP study, your arrhythmia may be intentionally triggered — you might feel your heart racing momentarily. This is expected and your cardiologist will explain exactly what they’re doing in real time. Most patients describe the experience as much less difficult than they anticipated.
A: Modern pacemakers are designed to be MRI-conditional and are increasingly compatible with metal detectors at security checkpoints — though you should always carry your device identification card and inform security agents that you have an implanted cardiac device. Your FHVI electrophysiologist will give you a thorough post-implantation briefing on what to avoid and what everyday activities are perfectly safe.
A: Most catheter ablation procedures are outpatient — you go home the same day or the following morning. You’ll avoid strenuous activity for about a week. Some patients have mild chest discomfort or heart rhythm irregularities in the weeks following ablation as the treated tissue heals — this is normal and usually resolves. Your electrophysiologist will schedule close follow-up to ensure your rhythm is stable.
A: A pacemaker treats a heart that beats too slowly — it delivers small, regular electrical pulses to keep your rate appropriate. An ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) treats a heart that can beat dangerously fast — it continuously monitors your rhythm and delivers a life-saving shock if a dangerous arrhythmia is detected. Some patients receive a combined device (CRT-D) that performs both functions simultaneously.
A: ‘Cured’ is a word electrophysiologists use carefully. For paroxysmal (intermittent) AFib in patients without significant structural heart disease, catheter ablation successfully eliminates AFib in the majority of patients — with success rates of 70–85% after a single procedure, and higher after repeat procedures. For persistent or long-standing persistent AFib, success rates are lower and multiple procedures may be needed. Your FHVI electrophysiologist will give you a realistic, individualized assessment based on your type of AFib, your anatomy, and your overall health.
Book Your Cardiac Catheterization Consultation — Call (352) 572-7730