Cardiac Arrhythmia Service
The Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers the very latest diagnostic and treatment options to manage heart rhythm conditions.
- Request an appointment or referral
- Phone: 866-MGH-8910
Our Approach
Our Doctors
At the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center, our specialists are experienced in treating a range of heart rhythm conditions, including:
- Arrhythmias (abnormal heart beat)
- Atrial fibrillation
- Atrial flutter
- Supraventricular tachycardia
- Ventricular fibrillation
- Ventricular tachycardia
- Brugada Syndrome (genetic condition)
- Long QT Syndrome (genetic condition)
- Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
- Sick sinus syndrome (heart rate too fast and too slow)
A team of electrophysiologists, nurses, technologists, research staff, cardiac resynchronization therapy specialists and holter monitor specialists make up the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service and Electrophysiology Lab.
Our specialists treat a variety of patients, including younger and older patients, pregnant women with arrhythmias, patients with atypical symptoms or unique conditions, patients with familial conditions, and patients who require pacemakers, ICDs or biventricular devices. We also treat patients with atrial fibrillation and have revolutionized medical care for this condition.
Learn how physicians at the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service treat atrial fibrillation
Diagnosing Cardiac Arrhythmias
Cardiac arrhythmias can be diagnosed using non-invasive procedures or invasive procedures such as electrophysiology (EP) studies. Our specialists offer the latest diagnostic procedures for all cardiac arrhythmias. Your doctor may order one or more of these tests for you.
- Electrocardiograms, including signal-averaged electrocardiography
- Holter monitoring
- Event recorder
- Echocardiogram
- Exercise test (stress test or treadmill test)
- Tilt table evaluation
- Invasive electrophysiology studies
With advanced resources, including leading-edge technology in the hands of experienced clinicians, the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service offers several options to help manage arrhythmias. Specialists at the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service evaluate and recommend the best treatment plan for patients. Available treatments include:
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About This Program Physicians within the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center are internationally recognized for their work in the field of clinical electrophysiology, the medical discipline concerned with the heart's electrical system.
For nearly 30 years, the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service has provided state-of-the-art care for patients with all types of cardiac arrhythmias. Our experienced specialists work with all types of patients to determine the cause of their heart rhythm disturbances, develop a plan of care, and monitor progress and response to treatment. Though in many cases, we can cure cardiac arrhythmias; in other cases, treatment is focused on reducing or eliminating symptoms.
Sophisticated Treatments
A Leader in Treating Atrial Fibrillation
Every year our physicians host the Annual International Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium.This symposium is a forum for discussing the latest research and ways to manage atrial fibrillation.
Learn how physicians at the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service treat atrial fibrillation
Specialists at the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service were among the first physicians in the world to use a computer-based robotic system that helps specialists ablate (destroy) small areas of heart muscle tissue that are responsible for common cardiac arrhythmias. This revolutionary technology enables our specialists to treat patients with greater precision, safety and effectiveness than was previously possible.
Our physicians also helped establish a new catheter ablation procedure for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, the most common kind of cardiac arrhythmia. Catheter ablation delivers a radio frequency current through a catheter tip to prevent electrical impulses from traveling through the heart’s tissue at the site of the arrhythmia. This new therapy has helped eliminate disabling symptoms and restore quality of life for many patients with atrial fibrillation.
Learn about catheter ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation
A Commitment to Research and Education
Physicians at the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service have revolutionized medical care for cardiac arrhythmias. 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.
Many of our physicians are on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, which means they not only have a mission to provide the best possible patient care, but also a commitment to educate the next generation of medical professionals.
Conditions and Diseases The care team at the Heart Center encourages all patients and family members to learn more about conditions and diseases that affect the heart and overall cardiovascular system. The links below provide more information about heart conditions and diseases that might be treated within this program.
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias are heart rhythm disorders that may originate in the atria (the receiving chambers of the heart) or the ventricles (the pumping chambers of the heart).
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia where the electrical signals in the atria (the two small chambers of the heart) are fired in a very fast and uncontrolled manner.
Support and Wellness
Mass General is dedicated to ensuring that people understand their health care choices and have the necessary information to make decisions affecting their health and well being. The related support and wellness information listed below can play a role in treatment options.
Guide to Cardiac Surgery
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac surgery. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after your surgery.
Guide to Cardiac Catheterization
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac catheterization. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after a cardiac catheterization.
Guide to Cardiac Anesthesia
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac anesthesia. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after a cardiac anesthesia.
News and Events 11/30/2007: A rhythm thrown off
James Puzinas, a 47-year-old fine art dealer from Massachusetts, has a rhythm in his life. He spends his days buying and selling American paintings around the country and living an active lifestyle - working outdoors, swimming, bicycling and downhill skiing. When he started feeling exhausted after doing simple yard work, Puzinas’s rhythm was thrown off, but he attributed the heaviness in his legs to age.
An advanced cardiac CT scanner
Physicians at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center use cutting edge technology to identify possible cardiac abnormalities.
Left atrial appendage exclusion
Mass General Heart Center physicians offer a new technique to prevent blood clots in the part of the heart called the left atrial appendage. This innovative procedure is a possible alternative for patients who are not candidates for catheter ablation.
Heart Center
55 Fruit StreetBoston, MA 02114
Phone: 866-MGH-8910
Public Transportation Access: yes
Disabled Access: yes
If you are a new patient, you may complete our online appointment form to request an appointment. Our outpatient access nurse will ask you more about your condition and symptoms, and match you with the best-fitting Heart Center physician.
Request an appointment at the Heart Center 
Call the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center outpatient access nurse at 866-MGH-8910
