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What is Heart Block?

In the heart, electrical signals are sent from the top chambers to the bottom ones to signal those chambers to pump. In heart block, there is either damage or delay in this electrical signaling.

The more severe the block, the slower the heart pumps. At worst, the heart block can prevent communication between the top and bottom chambers completely, leading to “complete heart block.”

Heart block can occur from medications, heart attacks, valve disease, or diseases that damage the electrical tissue in the heart, trauma, or normal aging.

Symptoms of Heart Block

In early stages and in milder forms, heart block often has no symptoms. As heart block worsens, it can lead to fatigue, slow pulse or shortness of breath.

In the worst cases, patients can experience dizziness and passing out spells.

UR Medicine's Treatments for Heart Block

  • The first step is to decrease the dose of any offending medications or stop them altogether.
  • If the cause is from blockages in the arteries of the heart, fixing those blockages can sometimes improve the heart block.
  • If the heart block is severe enough and does not respond to medication or other treatment, the patient may require a pacemaker.

Diagnostic tests include electrocardiogram (EKG), echocardiogram, Holter and event monitors, continuous ambulatory telemetry, and implantable loop recorders.

What Sets Us Apart?

We treat heart block in our Electrophysiology Lab, which offers some of the most advanced treatments available for heart rhythm disorders. In many cases, our treatments can permanently cure a heart rhythm problem so no further medication is needed.

Our program features:

  • Specialists in the treatment of heart rhythm disorders who treat thousands of cases a year.
  • Treatments unavailable elsewhere in the Rochester region.
  • Expertise that attracts patients from all over the world.
  • Patient access to clinical trials exploring new methods for treating heart rhythm disorders.
  • Three fully equipped labs for ablation and device implants, staffed by expert nurses and technicians.
  • World-class expertise in identifying who needs defibrillators to prevent sudden cardiac death.

UR Medicine Cardiac Care is the area's only center to receive a Gold Plus Performance Award from the American Heart Association, meeting the highest standards for treating heart failure, coronary artery disease, and stroke.

Providers

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Locations

We serve you in the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region.

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22 locations

Cardiac Care

2400 South Clinton Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618

Cardiac Care

111 Cara Barton Street
Dansville, NY 14437

Cardiac Care

395 West Street, Suite 307
Canandaigua, NY 14424

Cardiac Care

410 Clifton Springs Professional Park
Clifton Springs, NY 14432

Cardiac Care

144 Court Street
Geneseo, NY 14454

Cardiac Care

1000 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620

Cardiac Care

999 East Ridge Road, Suite 1000
Rochester, NY 14621

Cardiac Care

75 Sunset Drive, Suite A
Newark, NY 14513

Cardiac Care

1835 Fairport Nine Mile Point Road, Suite 200
Penfield, NY 14526

Cardiac Care

418 North Main Street
Penn Yan, NY 14837

Cardiac Care

600 Red Creek Drive, Suite 100
Rochester, NY 14623

Cardiac Care

1991 Balsley Road
Seneca Falls, NY 13148

Cardiac Care

156 West Avenue, 3rd Floor
Brockport, NY 14420

Cardiac Care

191 North Main Street
Wellsville, NY 14895

Cardiac Rehabilitation

7309 Seneca Road North, Suite 104
Hornell, NY 14843

Cardiac Rehabilitation Center

140 Canal View Boulevard, Suite 104
Rochester, NY 14623

Paul N. Yu Heart Center

601 Elmwood Avenue, Ground Floor
Rochester, NY 14626

Cardiac Care

140 Canal View Boulevard, Suite 102
Rochester, NY 14623

Cardiac Rehabilitation

191 North Main St​reet
Wellsville, NY 14895

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