Clinicians from the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center carefully manage and treat atrial fibrillation, a severe type of arrhythmia that occurs when electrical signals in the upper two chambers of the heart are fired in a fast and uncontrolled manner.
Our leading physicians are constantly pursuing new treatments for atrial fibrillation, a serious heart condition that affects more than 2.5 million people in the United States. Atrial fibrillation may dramatically affect patients’ quality of life and significantly increase a patient’s risk for stroke. Patients often struggle with debilitating symptoms, including fatigue, loss of energy, shortness of breath, palpitations, rapid heart action, light headedness and chest discomfort.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Treating Atrial Fibrillation
The Heart Center is made up of a team of world-class clinicians, each specializing in a particular form of heart disease. Our physicians are known for their expertise in treating patients with heart rhythm disorders and work with multiple clinical disciplines from across the hospital to provide care from several perspectives, including:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Cardiac imaging
Our Commitment to Referring Physicians
From the moment a patient walks through our door, we have a commitment to communicating with referring physicians.This means that referring physicians hear from a member of our team at a patient’s first visit, immediately following a patient’s procedure and during a patient’s recovery.
Learn how to refer a patient
Highly Individualized Treatment Plans
When a patient visits the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service our physicians develop a highly individualized treatment plan with the goal of improving quality of life and preventing stroke. Factors that influence the treatment plan include:
- The presence of heart disease in addition to atrial fibrillation
- Age
- Type of atrial fibrillation
- Severity of symptoms
- Lifestyle
As part of an individualized approach, some patients are managed medically, while others are offered interventional techniques. Available treatment options include:
- Catheter ablation. A radiofrequency current is delivered through a catheter tip to cauterize (burn) tissues responsible for triggering atrial fibrillation. The goal is to inactivate abnormal tissues in the atria to prevent recurrences of atrial fibrillation
- Left atrial appendage exclusion. This new technique prevents blood clots in the part of the heart called the left atrial appendage and is an alternative for patients who are not candidates for catheter ablation and who wish to discontinue anticoagulant use. Using a catheter, physicians carefully deploy a device that seals off the left atrial appendage. Mass General was one of the original centers involved in the investigation of this new technique
Leaders in Our Field
Physicians at the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service have revolutionized medical care for atrial fibrillation. All over the world, other clinicians are able to better treat atrial fibrillation through image integration, a technology we helped develop that blends high-quality images of a patient’s anatomy into the actual procedure.
Our physicians are also faculty at Harvard Medical School and engage in research to advance their field. As a result, Mass General physicians were among the first in the nation to treat atrial fibrillation using:
An Emphasis on Research and Clinical Trials
Our research initiatives are divided into pre-clinical and clinical research. The goal of pre-clinical research is to develop new tools for treating patients, such as catheters, mapping systems or imaging technologies. Clinical research involves further studying these new technologies, allowing us to bring patients promising new treatments as quickly as possible.
Mass General physicians also study the genetic basis of atrial fibrillation in an effort to uncover the underlying causes of this common arrhythmia. Since 2001 our studies have enrolled over 900 participants and have helped identify two new genes that cause atrial fibrillation.
Patients interested in participating in clinical trials can browse online for open trials.
Request an appointment at the Heart Center 
Call the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center outpatient access nurse at 866-MGH-8910
Discover the Heart Center Patient Experience
Our approach to patient care brings together a team of cardiac specialists who create a personalized treatment plan for each patient.
