Arrhythmia

RUSH offers the latest, groundbreaking technology, treatment and clinical trials to treat all kinds of arrhythmia.

RUSH offers the latest, groundbreaking technology, treatment and clinical trials to treat all kinds of arrhythmia.

An arrhythmia is any change in rate or rhythm of your heartbeat (irregular heartbeat). Your heart may beat too quickly (tachycardia), too slowly (bradycardia) or in an irregular pattern.

Types of Arrhythmia

There are many types of arrhythmias, ranging from a few skipped beats that are mostly just a nuisance to a racing heart that can lead to long-term damage.

The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, or Afib, a fast and irregular heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure.

Arrhythmia Symptoms

  • Chest discomfort
  • Fast or slow heart rate
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
  • Sweating

Some people with arrhythmia don't experience any symptoms. In fact, it's not uncommon for the condition to be discovered during a routine physical.

Causes of Arrhythmias

  • Congenital heart problems
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Electrolyte imbalances (such as sodium or potassium)
  • High blood pressure

Treatment for Arrhythmia at RUSH

The type of treatment that is best for you will depend on the type and severity of the arrhythmia. Specialists at RUSH offer the full spectrum of options for treating arrhythmia:

  • Medications may be used to regulate your heartbeat. The most common types of medications for the treatment of arrhythmia are antiarrhythmic drugs, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers and anticoagulants.
  • Cardiac ablation surgery is an outpatient, minimally invasive procedure that can potentially cure certain arrhythmias. Your physician will use a catheter through a vein or artery in the leg to reach the heart and destroy the tissue in the area of the heart that is not performing properly. Electrophysiologists at RUSH are leaders in the use of ablation to treat arrhythmias and were the first in Chicago to do cardiac ablation using the Sensei Robotic Catheter, a system that enables them to treat abnormal heart rhythms with greater precision.
  • Cardiac pacemakers, including leadless pacemakers (e.g., Micra), devices that are wireless and significantly smaller than traditional pacemakers. Implanted in the chest or abdomen, pacemakers help control arrhythmias by sending electrical pulses to your heart. These pulses help your heart beat at a normal rate and record your heart's electrical activity and heart rhythm, information your cardiologist can use to plan your care.
  • Cardiac defibrillator (ICD), a small electronic device placed in people who are at risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, a weakened or enlarged heart, congenital heart disease or a genetic health condition. Implanted in the chest, the ICD detects any life-threatening rapid heartbeat and sends an electrical shock to the heart to bring the rhythm back to normal.
  • Watchman device, an alternative to blood thinner medications (e.g., warfarin) for people with non-valvular AFib (atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem). Watchman is a permanent heart implant that can lower the risk of stroke compared to lifelong use of warfarin.
  • Mini-Maze surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that can potentially cure atrial fibrillation. Through tiny incisions, surgeons create scar tissue that allows the heart to resume beating normally.

Specialized Care for Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia. Our personalized approach to caring for these often complex arrhythmias includes the following:

  • The latest diagnostic and treatment options, including antiarrhythmic drugs and more advanced treatments including catheter-based ablation procedures, pacemakers (including leadless pacing) and surgical hybrid procedures.
  • Assessment of individual risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation and discussion of options available to minimize that risk, including the Watchman device (for non-valvular AFib).
  • Help managing risk factors, such as diabetes and sleep apnea, through diet, exercise, medications and other treatments.
  • Access to clinical trials for treatments that are not yet widely available.

Arrhythmia Providers at RUSH

Learn more about arrhythmia providers at RUSH.

Meet our arrhythmia providers
stethoscope Meet our arrhythmia providers

RUSH Excellence in Arrhythmia Care

  • Among the best in the U.S.: U. S. News & World Report ranked RUSH University Medical Center among the best in the nation for cardiology.
  • Expertise you can trust: RUSH's electrophysiology, arrhythmia and pacemaker experts specialize in caring for heartbeat irregularities and provide second opinions. They often collaborate closely with other specialists at RUSH — cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, sleep specialists and dietitians — to provide advanced care.
  • The latest diagnostic and treatment options: This includes new devices, such as leadless pacemakers (e.g., Micra) and Watchman; antiarrhythmic drugs; and more advanced treatments including catheter-based ablation (a minimally invasive procedure to decrease the burden of disease) and surgical hybrid procedures.
  • RUSH Arrhythmia Center: The expert team at the RUSH Arrhythmia Center at RUSH University Medical Center in Chicago specializes in caring for irregular heart rhythms. We offer a full spectrum of options for treating arrhythmias and access to the latest clinical trials and innovative technology that helps our patients and us better understand and reduces the risk of cardiac arrhythmias and its related symptoms. 
  • Atrial fibrillation clinic: RUSH offers an atrial fibrillation clinic where our team focuses exclusively on managing and treating patients to help modify risk factors and slow down progression of this chronic disease. Our dedicated team of experts will help to coordinate your care, tailoring a multidisciplinary treatment plan that specifically meets your needs.
  • Arrhythmia care for kids: Our dedicated Pediatric Electrophysiology Program at RUSH University Children's Hospital offers specialists who conduct extensive research, including clinical trials. This allows our team to deliver new therapies and treatment options with compassionate care to our young patients.
  • Expertise in reducing your stroke risk: Some heart conditions, including arrhythmias, can cause strokes. If you have arrhythmia and have had a stroke, the team at RUSH’s comprehensive Stroke-Cardiology Clinic can help prevent you from having another. Our cardiology and vascular neurology experts work together to create your customized treatment plan, using their expertise in medical therapies, minimally invasive procedures and risk reduction strategies.