ATRIAL FIBRILLATION CLINIC

Any irregularity in your heart’s natural rhythm is called an arrhythmia. Almost everyone’s heart skips or flutters at one time or another and these mild episodes of irregular heart beats are harmless. When someone experiences recurrent arrhythmias, a complete cardiac examination is indicated to check for underlying heart abnormalities.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of arrhythmia affecting about 2.2 million Americans. Management of AF can be simple, though recurring AF can be very challenging. At St. Paul Heart Clinic, a wide range of treatment options are available to meet the needs of AF patients.

Quality of life can be affected by AF. Much is already known about the risk for stroke in patients with AF. Treating AF is an important way to help prevent stroke. That’s why we recommend aggressive evaluation and treatment.

The AF Clinic at St. Paul Heart Clinic provides comprehensive evaluations by a team of cardiologists, nurse practitioners and nurse clinicians. The evaluation includes:

• Determination of possible reversible causes for AF
• Extensive education about preventing AF and living with AF
• Assessment and recommendations for medical management
• Development of a shared care plan between patient, primary care physician and heart specialist
• Determination of risk for stroke (if any)
• Assessment for procedural, device or new treatment indications
• Ongoing follow-up and monitoring in partnership