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Intracardiac electrophysiology study (EPS) - Risks

Alternative Names

Electrophysiology study - intracardiac; EPS - intracardiac

What the risks are:

The procedure is generally very safe. Possible risks include:

Arrhythmias
Bleeding
Blood clots that lead toembolism
Cardiac tamponade
Heart attack
Infection
Injury to the vein
Low blood pressure

Special considerations:

A catheter ablation may be done during EPS to treat the arrhythmia.

Heart, front view

Conduction system of the heart

Reviewed last on: 5/12/2008
Larry A. Weinrauch, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Private practice specializing in Cardiovascular Disease, Watertown, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Miller JM. Diagnosis of Cardiac Arrhythmias. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 8th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2007: chap. 32.

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