Making the Diagnosis
The stethoscope is a valuable instrument when it comes to detecting arrhythmias, but there are modern tests that can pinpoint the problem.
The electrocardiogram (ECG) prints a graph of the heart's electrical activity using small electrodes taped to the chest. The pattern on these graphs reveals the type of arrhythmia. Since the arrhythmia might not occur at the hospital, there are portable ECGs that you can bring home. Some are constantly turned on over a specified period of time (called a Holter monitor), while others are turned on when you feel an arrhythmia (called an event monitor or loop recorder). Some of these devices can download the heart signal data over a phone line or a mobile phone. Certain arrhythmias may be associated with exercise, therefore you may be asked to walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bicycle while hooked up to an ECG machine.
Electrophysiologic study (EPS) is a more elaborate test. Thin tubes are inserted into a blood vessel in the leg and guided up to the heart. They hold electrodes that can find the muscle tissue that may be causing the abnormal electrical activity.