Congenital Heart Arrhythmia Clinic
Congenital heart disorders can result in arrythmias occurring due to thickening and/or weakening of the heart muscle, abnormal heart anatomy and circulation or scarring from previous surgeries required to repair defects. Arrythmias rarely seen in healthy hearts are frequently present in those with congenital heart disorders and this clinic supports patients and their families with these specific conditions and the individual treatment plans required to optimise heart functioning and quality of life.
Channelopathy and Inherited Arrhythmias Clinic
Channelopathies are a group of disorders that occur due to dysfunction of the ion channels in cells. These disorders can affect many systems in the body and can be genetic or acquired. Genetic disorders are inherited and present form birth, while acquired channelopathies can be due to autoimmune disorders, and are a cause of sudden death in children and adults.
Cardiovascular channelopathies change the flow of electricity through the heart and cause arrythmias such as atrial standstill, long QT syndrome, short QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, sick sinus syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.
Genetic counselling will assist to identify those at risk of inherited arrythmias and genetic testing allows for early intervention to prevent damage to the heart muscle or sudden death.
Canberra AF Rehabilitation and Education (CARE) Clinic
The CARE Clinic focuses on the modifiable lifestyle factors that have been shown to increase the risk of atrial arrhythmias occurring or returning. Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter the most frequently seen arrhythmias by doctors in Australia and can have significant effects on those who have them, and their families. Our CARE Clinic Nurse will work closely with you to address and reduce any risk factors impacting your health and occurrences of atrial arrhythmias, with the goal of reducing episodes, medication use and need for surgery to treat your AF.
Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure Clinic
Genetic counselling and genetic testing are valuable additions when managing individuals and families with inherited cardiac conditions. Cardiovascular conditions which can be inherited include cardiomyopathy and inherited arrythmias such as Long QT syndrome. Patients and families who are suspected of having an inherited cardiac condition may benefit from a genetic consultation to determine whether there is an underlying genetic basis for disease in their family. Identifying a genetic cause can improve diagnostic accuracy and in some cases guide management and treatment of symptoms. One of the biggest benefits of genetic testing is to identify families where predictive genetic testing can be offered to asymptotic at-risk relatives. This has the potential to allow for earlier diagnosis in family members and the possibility of offering life-saving treatments.
A genetic consultation will involve (1) obtaining a detailed family history to identify families who will benefit from genetic testing, (2) selecting the right person in the family to test, (3) identifying the appropriate genes to test, (4) understanding and interpreting the result, and (5) effectively communicating the result and implications to the patient and family.
Device Clinic (Pacemaker, Defibrillator, CRT, Loop Recorder)
Device Clinic services include clinic evaluation and interrogation of pacemakers and defibrillators that have been implanted in patients.
A complete pacemaker check should be done six weeks after a pacemaker is implanted. A pacemaker should then be checked every three/six months to evaluate battery function.
Regular follow-up is important after a pacemaker implant. Your doctor will tell you how often you will need to have it checked. During check-ups, the doctor will determine if the device detected or treated any abnormal heart rhythms and will check the battery. These visits are very important.
When the battery function becomes low, it will become necessary to change your pacemaker (pacemakers usually last about four to eight years). Once a year, you will need a more complete exam at a hospital or doctor's office.
After implant, a pacemaker's functions need to be checked and sometimes adjusted. Your physician can do this using an external computerized device called a programmer/recorder/monitor (PRM). The PRM device communicates with the ICD in the body via radio waves from a wand held over the implant site. It works much like using a garage door opener or clicking a remote control to change channels on a television. The doctor or nurse uses the PRM to program and test the device after implant. When you come in for a check-up, the PRM is used to read the information stored in the pulse generator's memory since the last visit. The procedure is quick and painless.
Patients with pacemakers will also need to see a cardiologist at least once a year.