EP

[Lorna058]

Lots of people referring to their EP. I know it's early days for me, but I have never heard mention of this from my gp or coat clinic

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

An EP is an electrophysiologist, a cardiologist who has had additional years of training to specialize in treating the electrical system of the heart. This is the person who is most knowledgable about AF, the clinical expert on the condition. If you have an ablation an EP would be the one who does it and many of us get all our AF care from the EP rather than a general cardiologist.

[Rellim296]

An EP (electrophysiologist) is a heart specialist who deals with the heart's electrics, which are what go astray in arrhythmia. A cardiologist is more of a plumber, dealing with the heart's structure and function.

[Buffafly]

I think the latest Nice protocol is that if the GP and cardiologist between them can't improve your condition (two drug regimes fail) then you should be referred to the EP for further evaluation. I believe this is fairly new which explains why so many people have been from one thing to another over many years without being referred. My cardiologist told me that ablations used to be 'rubbish' and ten years ago he would have given me a pacemaker but now they are much more successful!

If you want to read all about it you can look up the Nice guidelines, someone posted the link recently.

[BobD Volunteer]

Read all the fact sheets on AF Association website. Knowledge is power.

[Hidden]

Some do not refer to themselves as EP's but use the term Heart Rhythm Specialist, and you have to read on to see they are EP's in the small print.

I asked my GP about seeing an EP, and he said "What's an EP?". And when I said it meant Electrophysiologist he still looked blank, so then I said they are Heart Rhythm Specialists, at which he nodded. So it's not unusual I feel.

Koll

[lingooz]

Me either?

[seasider18]

What is a coat clinic?

[Hidden]

Coat clinic = Coag clinic mispelled I guess? Either that or a new word for a tailor!