Before the Procedure:

Always tell your doctor or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs or herbs you bought without a prescription.

During the days before the procedure:

• Ask your doctor which drugs you should still take on the day of the surgery.
• Tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix) or warfarin (Coumadin).
• If you smoke, stop before the procedure. Ask your doctor for help.
• Tell your doctor if you have a cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness.

On the day of the procedure:

• You will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything after midnight the night before your procedure.
• Take the drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.
• Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.

After the Procedure:

Pressure to reduce bleeding is put on the area where the catheters were inserted into your body. You will be kept in bed for at least 1 hour, and maybe up to 5 or 6 hours. Your heart rhythm will be monitored during this time.

Your doctor will decide whether you can go home on the same day or if you will need to stay in the hospital overnight to continue monitoring your heart. You will need someone to drive you home after your procedure

For 2 or 3 days after your procedure, you may have these symptoms:

• You may feel tired.
• Your chest may feel achy.
• You may notice skipped heartbeats, or times when your heartbeat is very fast or irregular.

Your doctor may keep you on your medicines, or give you new ones that help control your heart rhythm.

Outlook (Prognosis):

Success rates are different depending on what type of heart rhythm problem is being treated.