Expert Care for Patients With, and At Risk for, Inherited Arrhythmias
Our Inherited Arrhythmia Clinic offers care for children and adults with and at risk for inherited arrhythmias, also called heart rhythm disorders. We provide electrophysiology and genetics services for patients and families with arrhythmia disorders and those impacted by sudden cardiac arrest and/or death (SCA/D) in a family member.
Our team includes electrophysiologists, electrophysiology nurses and board-certified genetic counselors. We investigate the genetic causes of arrhythmias with a holistic, family-based approach.
Who We Provide Services For
In our clinic, we see patients under the age of 50 who:
- Have a known familial heart rhythm disease
- Need to be evaluated for suspected familial heart rhythm disease based on symptoms
- Are survivors of sudden cardiac arrest
- Are the first-degree relative of a sudden cardiac arrest survivor or of someone who has died from sudden cardiac death
What to Expect When You Visit Us
When you come to the Familial Heart Rhythm Clinic, we’ll do a thorough review of your family history. This is an important part of the process, as it helps us understand the types of heart conditions that may run in your family.
Your first visit will typically include an electrocardiogram (EKG) to evaluate heart rhythm. We perform other cardiac testing and genetic testing as needed to come up with the best recommendations for treatment.
After going through your test results, we’ll talk with you to discuss what they show and our suggestions for a plan of care. Part of this meeting will include a visit with one of our genetic counselors.
To prepare for this appointment, visit our Genetic Counseling page. Here you’ll find tips on what family history information may be helpful to bring with you to your visit.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Death
Sudden cardiac arrest and death are uncommon in young people, but when they occur, they have a severe impact on families, care providers and the community. Family members often want to know the underlying cause. This can help families experience closure, and can also address the potential of heritability and risk of sudden death for surviving relatives.
Our team offers the unique expertise to provide education, support and medical management for these families, including:
- A thorough investigation of the deceased’s medical records, including autopsy reports, and using blood and tissue samples for genetic testing
- Genetic testing for SCA/D cases to better understand the cause of death, and guide care for surviving family members
We recognize how devastating sudden cardiac death is for families. We treat all of the families we see in these visits with compassion and respect for how difficult these conversations may be. Our goal is to arm you with as much helpful information as possible to benefit your individual situation.
