Medical Services related to Sports Cardiology

Heart Arrhythmias

Any kind of abnormal heart rhythm is referred to as an arrhythmia. There are two types of arrhythmias: atrial arrhythmia, also called supraventricular arrhythmia, which begins in the upper chambers of the heart, and ventricular arrhythmia, which begins in the lower chambers of the heart. The most common arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, or "afib", which affects more than 4 million Americans.

Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) and Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs)

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are extra, abnormal heartbeats that begin in the ventricles, or lower pumping chambers, and disrupt your regular heart rhythm, sometimes causing you to feel a skipped beat or palpitations. PVCs are very common and usually harmless. Premature atrial contractions (PACs) are premature heartbeats that are similar to PVCs, but occur in the upper chambers of the heart, an area known as the atria. PACs do not typically cause damage to the heart and can occur in healthy individuals with no known heart disease.

Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a rapid heart rate (tachycardia) usually caused when electrical impulses originating at or above the atrioventricular node, or AV node (part of the heart's electrical control system which controls rate) are out of sync. When a person goes into this arrhythmia, the heart beats at least 100 beats per minute and can be as high as 300 beats per minute. SVT is also known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) or paroxysmal atrial tachycardia (PAT). People with SVT may go into this arrhythmia from time to time unrelated to exercise, stress or other common causes of a rapid heart rate. For most people, SVT is not dangerous. The heart continues to work normally, pumping blood through the body.

Inherited Cardiomyopathies and Arrhythmias

The Michigan Medicine Frankel Cardiovascular Center and the Michigan Congenital Heart Center at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital offer established, comprehensive programs for the evaluation and treatment of inherited heart conditions (cardiomyopathies) and arrhythmias from child to adult. Our program is one of only 24 in the country specializing in the treatment of these conditions.