Before you have catheter ablation, your doctor may review your medical history, do a physical exam, and recommend tests and procedures.
Your doctor will want to know about any medicines you're taking. Some medicines can interfere with catheter ablation. If you take any of these medicines, your doctor may advise you to stop taking them before the procedure.
Your doctor also may ask whether you have diabetes, kidney disease, or other conditions. If so, he or she might need to take extra steps during or after the procedure to help you avoid complications.
Before catheter ablation, you may have tests such as:
Less often, your doctor may recommend cardiac catheterization (KATH-eh-ter-ih-ZA-shun), coronary angiography (an-jee-OG-rah-fee), or a test to rule out an overactive thyroid. (An arrhythmia can be a symptom of an untreated overactive thyroid.)
If you're pregnant, let your doctor know before having catheter ablation. The procedure involves radiation, which can harm the fetus. Talk with your doctor about whether the benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks.
If you're a woman of childbearing age, your doctor might recommend a pregnancy test before catheter ablation to make sure you're not pregnant.
Once the procedure is scheduled, your doctor will tell you how to prepare for it. You'll likely need to stop eating and drinking by midnight before the procedure. Your doctor will give you specific instructions.
Some people go home the same day as the procedure. Others need to stay in the hospital longer. Driving after the procedure might not be safe. Your doctor will let you know whether you need to arrange for someone to drive you home.
Clinical trials are research studies that explore whether a medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans. To find clinical trials that are currently underway for Catheter Ablation, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
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