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Norton Heart & Vascular Institute’s specialists are the leading providers of atrial fibrillation (A-fib) care in Louisville and Southern Indiana. They treat thousands of atrial fibrillation patients each year and complete almost 500 ablations, an advanced treatment for A-fib per year. Our Atrial Fibrillation Program features:
The American College of Cardiology has recognized Norton Audubon Hospital and Norton Hospital for their expertise and commitment to treating patients with atrial fibrillation, a common arrhythmia. The accreditation includes special recognition of the full suite of electrophysiology and surgical services we provide.
Each person with A-fib is unique, just as the right treatment plan is unique to each person. Taking into consideration the type of A-fib and other health conditions you may be experiencing, our team will work with you and your primary care provider or cardiologist to create a treatment plan that is right for you.
Learn more about A-fib and advanced treatment options.
There are different types of A-fib, and correctly diagnosing which you have is the first step in developing the best treatment plan. A-fib can begin spontaneously, come and go (paroxysmal A-fib) or last for seven or more days without interruption (persistent A-fib), and many may not even know they are having irregular heart rhythm. Our team uses the latest in monitoring technology to detect and diagnose A-fib as quickly and as conveniently for you as possible.
All of our devices are monitored by our Heart Rhythm Center device monitoring unit.
Diagnostic and monitoring technology we use includes:
A diagnosis of atrial fibrillation often comes with a prescription for medication to prevent and treat blood clots that may be caused by the arrhythmia. Left untreated, blood clots can lead to a stroke. Additional medications may be prescribed to control heart rate and rhythm. For many patients, these can be the first and most helpful form of treatment.
READ MORE: Answers to common questions about atrial fibrillation medications
Medications can be an effective treatment, but they can have side effects, and there may be alternatives to control your condition more effectively. Often, a combination of medication therapy, monitoring and minimally invasive surgical intervention can help improve A-fib symptoms or even eliminate the arrhythmia. Decisions about A-fib treatment can be complex. Our team works with each person to develop a treatment plan and make sure you have all the answers you need every step of the way.
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Treatment options for A-fib may include:
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute Heart Rhythm Center electrophysiologists work closely with Norton Cardiothoracic Surgery to offer the latest in surgical correction for heart arrhythmias like A-fib. Norton Heart & Vascular Institute’s three board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiothoracic surgeons are experienced in advanced open-heart surgery, such as heart bypass and valve replacement, as well as in minimally invasive, robotic-assisted procedures on the heart, lungs and other organs in the chest.
The Norton Heart & Vascular Institute team is the only healthcare provider in Louisville to offer a hybrid ablation procedure, a minimally invasive surgical treatment which combines the best of electrophysiology and cardiac surgery treatments to help restore a normal heart rhythm for longtime arrhythmia sufferers, including patients with structural heart disease that has not responded to other treatment.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute offers advanced care at all of our adult-service hospitals to save hearts and lives.
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute offers patient resources to support you and your family, including free classes for people of all ages who want to improve cardiovascular health or are living with a heart condition.