Heart disease is currently by far the number one killer of both men and women in the developed world.  Despite the dramatic advances science has made in treating heart disease, ,many heart patients will suffer from like threatening heart rhythm disorders that can lead to their death.

Florida Electrophysiology Associates is proud to be one of the first centers in the state to offer in office T-wave alternans testing (TWA for short)  TWA is a non-invasive technique allowing the physician to risk stratify a patient into low risk or high risk groups of patients.  If a patient has a normal study, he is considered low risk.  Low risk patients tend to do well over time and have a low death rate in all studies published to date.  A positive TWA test however puts the patient into a high risk subgroup.  High risk patients have a relatively high risk for future cardiac event including sustained tachycardias and sudden death.  These patients are the ones who need further attention including possibly drug trial, angiography or implantation of a defibrillator.

Alternans testing while non-invasive does require some very light exercise on a treadmill.

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A T-Wave Alternans Machine