Heart rhythm diseases
If you have a heart rhythm disorder such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, you may find that your heart beats faster or slower than normal. You may also experience chest pain, dizziness or blackouts, or feel short of breath or have difficulty breathing. Heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter can be treated with ablation. Our cardiologists are ready to help you within a short time.
During the consultation, we will assess your symptoms and, based on your specific heart rhythm disorder, determine which further examinations or treatments are necessary and best for you.
Examinations and treatments
Questions and answers about heart rhythm disorders
Atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder. This rhythm disorder is characterized by the upper chambers of the heart quivering without contracting. Some people have persistent atrial fibrillation, whilst most only experience it in episodes. The older you get, the greater your risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
Hjerteflimmer kan give øget risiko for blodpropper, og derfor er det nødvendigt at finde den rette behandling til dig. Atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of blood clots, so finding the right treatment is essential.
Atrial flutter
Atrial flutter is another type of heart rhythm disorder, which is less common than atrial fibrillation. The symptoms and treatment methods are largely the same as for atrial fibrillation. Atrial flutter causes symptoms such as tiredness, palpitations and shortness of breath, and can be treated with ablation.
Other heart rhythm disorders
There are several other heart rhythm disorders in addition to the two mentioned above. These include: WPW syndrome, AVNRT, focal atrial tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular extrasystoles and atrial extrasystoles. Symptoms may include episodes of a rapid heartbeat or extra beats.
Ablation can involve the use of heat, a high-voltage current, or cold. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses heat, cryoablation uses cold and pulsed field ablation (PFA) uses a brief, high-intensity electrical current.
In RFA, the tissue is heated to between 65 and 75 degrees; in cryoablation, it is frozen to minus 50 degrees. This causes a burn or frostbite to the tissue, which subsequently forms scar tissue. This scar tissue acts as a barrier to abnormal electrical impulses, preventing them from disrupting the normal heart rhythm.
Another way of achieving this is to apply a powerful electrical stimulus to the tissue (PFA). This causes the cell walls to 'wither' and turn into scar tissue. This electrical stimulation is delivered in short, powerful pulses, hence the name 'Pulsed Field Ablation' (PFA).
Your cardiologist will assess which type of ablation is best for you and your symptoms; this will not affect your outcome.
A pacemaker can correct an abnormally slow heart rhythm.
In contrast, an ICD can detect life-threatening rapid heart rhythm disturbances and automatically restore a normal heart rhythm by delivering a strong electrical shock to the heart.
No, you do not need to have a CT scan of your heart prior to your ablation. We do not consider it necessary, as it involves unnecessary exposure to X-ray radiation.
Specialists and practitioners
