Dallas Regional Medical Center Expands Treatment Options for Complex Arrhythmia

(March 10, 2016 - MESQUITE, TX) - Dallas Regional Medical Center (DRMC) is the only hospital on the east side of Dallas performing successful leading-edge electrophysiology studies with ablation therapy. The first ablation was performed on February 15, 2016 by DRMC's skilled cardiac team headed by electrophysiologist Maria Viqar, MD. Dr. Viqar completed advanced fellowship training at one of the most respected world renowned medical institutions- The Mayo Clinic.

"Dallas Regional has been in the forefront of numerous pioneering procedures to diagnose and treat a range of heart conditions, and offers cutting-edge procedures that restore heart health to the patients within our community," said Raji Kumar, CEO of DRMC.

Dallas Regional is expanding their cardiac wing to include a new state-of-the-art electrophysiology lab that includes biplane fluoroscopy to provide enhanced imaging in real-time and reduced radiation exposure. The Electrophysiology Lab includes Biosense Webster's most advanced 3D mapping system "Carto 3" for catheter navigation within the heart and their newest ablation technology "Smart Ablate". Biosense Webster is an industry leader in electrophysiology technology.

"At Dallas Regional, we felt this technology was needed to better serve the people of our community," said Dr. Viqar. "Data shows that each year, millions of people are affected by cardiac arrhythmias."

An arrhythmia is an abnormality in the rhythm of the heartbeat, causing it to beat irregularly, either too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia). Arrhythmias can cause symptoms such as dizziness, light-headedness, shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, or no symptoms at all. Some arrhythmias are bothersome yet harmless, but others can be life-threatening. Through early detection and treatment, arrhythmias can be diagnosed and successfully treated, with the goal of relieving symptoms, regaining normal heart rhythm, improving quality of life and reducing the risk of stroke or death from cardiac arrest.

"For those with persistent atrial fibrillation, many of the existing treatments and medications fail to completely correct or manage the condition," continued Dr. Viqar. "This can become very frustrating to the patient. Our electrophysiologists can now perform cardiac ablation using radiofrequency to produce lesions the heart and block abnormal electrical signals that cause these arrhythmias. Successful ablation therapy can restore normal heart rhythm, result in reduced or eliminated daily medications shortly after treatment, and result in best patient outcomes."

Dallas Regional Medical Center is proud to be the first cardiac care center east of Dallas offering electrophysiology studies with ablation therapy.