Electrophysiology Studies

Electrophysiology (EP) studies (such as cardiac mapping) are performed to diagnose arrhythmias, or abnormal heart rates, by locating small areas of abnormal heart tissue that interrupt the heart’s normal electrical system. During an EP study, your physician will insert several special long, flexible tubes with wires—called electrode catheters—into your heart. These diagnostic catheters are used to study your arrhythmia by recording the path of your heart’s electrical signals. By determining what is causing the electrical disruptions, your physician can determine whether your arrhythmia should be treated with medication, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a pacemaker, or a cardiac ablation procedure. If your physician decides to implant a device or perform an ablation, he or she may do that while you’re still in the EP lab.