Duke offers comprehensive services for patients with atrial fibrillation, which is the most common form of fast heart rhythm. The condition affects close to three million Americans and is more likely to occur as people age.

Atrial fibrillation causes the upper heart chambers (atria) to beat rapidly and produce a fast and irregular pulse. The condition can be chronic or sporadic (paroxysmal).

Symptoms are variable and can include fatigue, dizziness, palpitations, chest pain, and breathlessness.

Atrial fibrillation is also associated with an increased risk of stroke.

Treatment Options

Medications are the first line of treatment, and Duke offers the latest medical therapies.

For patients with atrial fibrillation that cannot be controlled with medications, Duke physicians can offer catheter ablation. This procedure is offered at only a limited number of centers in North Carolina. Duke providers have extensive experience in this area.

During catheter ablation, the areas within the heart that are responsible for producing atrial fibrillation are identified and cauterized (ablated) using long, flexible tubes (catheters) that are directed to the heart through blood vessels.

Advanced computer mapping systems are routinely used at Duke to pinpoint the source of the abnormal electrical signals and to direct catheters to the target sites.

Success controlling symptoms due to atrial fibrillation can be achieved in more than 90 percent of individuals, although some continue to require medications as well.

Other Arrhythmias

Other abnormal heart rhythms can also be treated with catheter ablation, including:

• Supraventricular tachycardias (also called SVTs) such as AV nodal reentry or the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Ventricular tachycardia

Clinical trials of ablation, using the newest techniques and technologies, are available to interested patients.

For more information, call toll-free, 1-877-4 AFIB RX (1-877-423-4379).

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Al Khatib, Sana M.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine
• Bahnson, Tristram D.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine
• Grant, Augustus O.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine
• Greenfield, Ruth A.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine
• Hegland, Donald D.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine
• Hranitzky, Patrick M.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine
• Jackson, Kevin P.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine
• Thomas, Kevin L.
  
  • Medicine / Cardiovascular Medicine

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Health Center at Southpoint
  6301 Herndon Road, Durham, NC 27713
• Duke University Hospital
  2301 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710