How Do the Pacing Wires Work?
The pacing catheters are inserted into your heart to serve two purposes:
- Record ECG signals from the inside of your heart
- Deliver electrical impulses to your heart muscle (called “pacing”)
The pacing will trigger the arrhythmia that is causing your problem. During the test, you may feel your heart race or skip beats. This is caused by the electrical impulses from the pacing. When the arrhythmia is triggered, you may feel the same symptoms you have had in the past: chest pain, dizziness, warmth, palpitations, or in some cases, loss of consciousness.
The arrhythmia can be stopped by pacing your heart, administering medications, or by shocking your heart.
When an arrhythmia can be started and stopped, your physician may test an antiarrhythmic medication (through the IV) for a period of 20 to 30 minutes. When a satisfactory amount of medication has been given, your physician will repeat the pacing to determine if the drug will prevent your heart arrhythmia.
When the entire study has been completed, the catheters and sheath will be removed. Firm pressure will be applied to the groin area for approximately 15 minutes to prevent bleeding from the insertion site. Once the bleeding has stopped, you will be moved to a patient room to recover. The entire EPS takes about 2-3 hours from start to finish.