Electrophysiology

Atrial fibrillation (also called AF and AFib) is the most common form of irregular heartbeat that affects more than 3 million people in the United States. It’s most common in older adults, especially those with cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, heart failure and obesity.

AFib occurs when the electrical signals of your upper heart chambers (the atria) begin to misfire, causing erratic, uncoordinated pumping. This can lead to an increased chance of stroke and heart failure.

Across Sutter, we offer Watchman™, a nonsurgical implant device that helps treat atrial fibrillation. You may be eligible for Watchman™ if you:

• Can take warfarin but need an alternative to long-term blood thinners
• Have no other reason to take blood thinners
• Don’t have a heart valve issue
• Have less than two risk factors for stroke (e.g., age 55+, diabetes, prior stroke, etc.).

Stereotaxis is a robotic system that lets your doctor treat complex heart problems and abnormal heart rhythms. Doctors use this advanced technology to reach remote areas of the heart that are otherwise difficult, if not impossible, to access. Potential benefits of stereotaxis include:

• 44% less exposure to X-ray radiation due to shorter procedure times
• Lower risk of major cardiac adverse events
• Reduced likelihood of referral to more invasive open-heart surgical procedures
• More readily available treatment of highly complex conditions, such as atrial arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardias and congenital heart disease