Heart doctors at Ascension Saint Thomas in Middle Tennessee, deliver specialized heart care for AFib and other heart arrhythmias.
Heart doctors at Ascension Saint Thomas in Middle Tennessee, deliver specialized heart care for AFib and other heart arrhythmias.
Don't wait until symptoms appear if you have concerns about your heart. Our free heart health risk assessment can be completed in three minutes.
When you choose Ascension Saint Thomas Heart for your AFib and heart arrhythmia care, your doctor is part of a nationally recognized program known for providing excellence in AFib diagnosis, treatment and recovery by the U.S. News & World Report and American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines®. Our heart program offers advanced screenings and diagnostics from a team who cares for more adult hearts than any other health system in Tennessee.
Ascension Saint Thomas Heart West, Midtown, and Rutherford hospitals earned the 2026 American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® – AFib GOLD with Target: Ablation Achievement Award. These recognitions reflect our cardiology team’s commitment to providing evidence-based care for patients with atrial fibrillation to help improve outcomes and support recovery for you and your loved ones.
Electrophysiologists, or doctors who specialize in heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), a type of arrhythmia where your heart beat is irregular, either too fast or too slow. It is a heart rhythm disorder that can be a sign of a more serious condition. Other symptoms of AFib may include chest pain, sweating, fatigue, shortness of breath, and weakness. AFib may come and go and affect how your heart pumps blood through your body, increasing your risk for stroke and congestive heart failure.
AFib is a progressive heart condition that ranges from short and infrequent episodes to a permanent heart condition. The four types of AFib include:
Other heart arrhythmias we treat include:
Common symptoms heart arrhythmias include:
Your doctor may recommend a series of tests as part of your care plan. EKGs, stress tests, echocardiogram, and blood tests are used to help detect an irregular heartbeat. You and your doctor will work together to choose a treatment option that is right for you.
Our heart care teams use ambulatory heart monitoring to help detect and evaluate irregular heart rhythms that may not appear during an office visit. These simple tests record your heart’s activity while you go about your daily routine, giving your cardiologist a better understanding of your heart health.
Ambulatory monitors are small, wearable devices that record your heart’s electrical activity over a period of time to identify irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias). This diagnostic tool helps guide treatment decisions, and monitor how well your current heart care plan is working.
A blood test is a lab analysis of things that may be found in your blood. You may have blood tests to keep track of how well you are managing a condition, such as diabetes or high cholesterol. You may also have them for routine checkups or when you are ill.
A chest X-ray is a quick, noninvasive imaging test that provides a detailed picture of the inside of your chest, helping your care team detect signs of a heart condition.
Our cardiology team uses advanced diagnostic tools and expertise to accurately identify a wide range of cardiac issues, ensuring you receive the right care as early as possible.
Our cardiology team uses advanced diagnostic tools and expertise to accurately identify a wide range of cardiac issues, ensuring you receive the right care as early as possible.
Our electrophysiology (EP) team performs advanced EP studies to diagnose the source and type of arrhythmias accurately. Using specialized catheters and real-time mapping, we evaluate your heart's electrical activity to guide the best treatment plan for your heart condition.
Your electrophysiologist may recommend a loop recorder implantation to help diagnose irregular heart rhythms that may be difficult to detect with standard monitoring. This small device is placed just under the skin to record your heart's activity over time continuously. If the monitoring shows that you have a heart condition, your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan that is right for you.
Treatment for AFib and other heart arrhythmias may include medication, therapy or surgery.
Atrial fibrillation ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat or cold energy to create small scars in the heart tissue, blocking abnormal electrical signals that cause an irregular heartbeat. This treatment can help restore a normal rhythm, improve symptoms such as palpitations and fatigue, and reduce the risk of AFib returning.
Ablation can also treat other abnormal heart rhythms, such as supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), pre-ventricular contractions (PVCs) or atrial flutter. The procedure blocks bad electrical signals, helping the heart beat normally and reducing symptoms like rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or shortness of breath, and sometimes reducing the need for long-term medication.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is treatment to help restore the normal rhythm (timing pattern) of the heartbeat. A CRT pacemaker is a specific type of pacemaker with an additional wire that goes to the left side of the heart. This allows it to coordinate the timing between the left and right sides of the heart.
Cardioversion is a procedure that uses controlled electrical energy or medication to restore the heart to a normal rhythm. It may be recommended for people experiencing certain irregular heartbeats, including atrial fibrillation.
Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure procedures help reduce stroke risk in patients with non-valvular AFib who are unable to take long-term blood thinners. Using minimally invasive procedures such as the WATCHMAN™ device, heart specialists close off the LAA to prevent blood clots from entering the bloodstream and causing a stroke.
This surgical procedure is used to treat AFib, helping to restore your heart rhythm. Heart surgeons use a maze pattern technique to create incisions in the heart's upper chambers to block abnormal electrical signals. The maze procedure, also known as the Cox-Maze procedure, uses cold and hot energy to create a scarring effect that corrects the heart signals that cause arrhythmia.
Your cardiologist might recommend a pacemaker if you have irregular heartbeats, a slow heart rate or are experiencing heart block. A pacemaker helps keep your heart regulated by sending electric signals to your heart if it senses trouble. The device is implanted under the skin and helps improve symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness and fainting.
We offer radiofrequency or catheter ablation to treat certain types of arrhythmias, including AFib and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). During this minimally invasive procedure, a catheter is guided through a blood vessel to the heart, where targeted heat energy is used to interrupt abnormal electrical signals and restore a normal heart rhythm.
There are four types of catheter ablation:
Our doctors are committed to being leaders in cardiovascular research, working to help improve how we diagnose and treat heart and vascular diseases. You can talk to your electrophysiologist if you are interested in participating in clinical trials.
Librexia-AFIB
A study of milvexian versus apixaban in participants with atrial fibrillation
BACKBEAT Trial
Bradycardia pacemaker with AV interval modulation for blood pressure treatment
Get detailed information on what to expect before and after your procedure. Learn how to prepare and what to expect with recovery from your care team.
Talk to your primary care doctor or a specialist about a referral to see an electrophysiologist. Have questions or need a second opinion? You can also contact us directly at 615-329-5144.
At Ascension Saint Thomas Heart, your care team supports you before, during and after an AFib procedure to help you return to the regular daily activities you love. Your electrophysiologists work with you to monitor your heart health over time, including connecting you with cardiac rehabilitation and helping manage your medications to make sure they are working well for you.
Decisions about your heart care are important. Getting a second opinion not only provides more information about your condition, but it can help you feel more confident in the doctor and the care plan you choose. If you’re looking for a second opinion, specialists at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart are here to listen and recommend options that are right for you. Consider getting a second opinion if:
Your patients can expect compassionate, personalized care from the moment our specialists connect with them. Our electrophysiologists start by listening to fully understand your patient’s needs and to develop an individualized care plan.
To make a doctor referral, please call 615-284-2025.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, go directly to the ER or call 911.
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September 16, 2026
Dolores Campbell overcame stage 3 ovarian cancer after receiving swift, life-saving surgery and chemotherapy from Mali Schneiter, DO, at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville.
August 5, 2026
After years of struggling, Rutherford resident Larina lost over 200 pounds following bariatric surgery with Dr. Stephen Rich at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford.
July 22, 2026
To fulfill an Ascension Living Alexian Village Tennessee resident’s dying wish, activities coordinator Amber Beam brought the New York Metropolitan Opera to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Songwriter David Schmelhaus found life-saving care and spiritual strength during his battle with acute leukemia at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville, Tenn.
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Middle Tennessee resident Roy Zacharias found life-saving care for Stage 3 esophageal cancer from Dr. John Lazar at Ascension Saint Thomas West in Nashville.
January 28, 2026
At just 26 years old, a Nashville mother receives specialty heart care for women at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Women’s Center during her second pregnancy.
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After two decades of seeking care for her heart symptoms, a referral to the Women's Heart Center at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart in Nashville, TN, gives a great-grandmother more time to enjoy her growing family.
January 26, 2026
Dr. Robert Rampp, general and endocrine surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, helped a Murfreesboro native detect thyroid cancer and saved his life.
December 31, 2025
A Lascassas, Tenn., couple received a heart bypass and kidney transplant at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West on the same day, then recovered and went home together.
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After years of struggling with her weight, Stephanie turned to Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro for bariatric surgery that changed her life.
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In 2024, Dr. Stephen Rich, helps a patient with his bariatric journey at the Ascension Saint Thomas Bariatric Center.
November 17, 2025
A routine lung scan at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville revealed a hidden tumor in 63-year-old Greg Hall, leading to life-saving treatment and recovery.
October 31, 2025
After undergoing bariatric surgery at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, Ellen regained the energy to fully enjoy life again.
October 24, 2025
Using advanced ION robotic technology, the care team at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford helped a Murfreesboro resident detect and treat lung cancer early.
In June 2016, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee resident Sharon Nowlin began her fight against ovarian cancer with Ascension Saint Thomas and Tennessee Oncology doctors Johnetta Blakley and Alpa Nick in Middle Tennessee.
Now 27, Morgan reflects on her journey with breast cancer and the care she received at the Ascension Saint Thomas Women’s Comprehensive Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
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With the help of the Ascension Saint Thomas Joint Replacement Institute, a Nashville woman overcame joint pain and is now thriving on the set of ABC’s 9-1-1 Nashville.
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Dr. Mark Manwaring, colon and rectal surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee helps a patient find answers to symptoms that suggest Crohn’s disease.
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Ascension urgent care and orthopedic teams are here to help you manage your summer injury.
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2023, a Nashville resident turned to Ascension Saint Thomas West, where expert urologists Dr. Adnan Dervishi and Dr. Mark Sittig provided advanced prostate cancer care.
Over a decade later, Saint Thomas is relaunching the Nothing Shall Be Impossible campaign rooted in faith, driven by medical excellence, and growing to meet the needs of tomorrow.
Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital in Nashville, TN, quickly responds to patients experiencing strokes and provides neurology and rehabilitation care to help with recovery.
In January 2024, longtime CNA discovered she had an ischemic stroke, and Dr. Lani Thomas performed a life-saving thrombectomy at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, TN.
Dr. Bobby Rampp, general surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, performed robotic bilateral hernia surgery to relieve a former Foundation board member’s severe abdominal symptoms.
A Nashville woman shares her story of overcoming rectal cancer with early detection and support from Ascension Saint Thomas for Colon Cancer Awareness Month.
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Dr. Robert Rampp, an endocrine surgeon with Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, helped treat a mother of three who found a thyroid nodule during a routine MRI.
Dr. Hannah Fish-Trotter, a cardiologist at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart, helped treat a mother of two with a diagnosis and treatment of a heart defect found after pregnancy.
Ascension Saint Thomas Heart is launching the Women's Program to transform cardiovascular care for women through prevention, early detection and a multi-disciplinary approach in Middle Tennessee.
Hayley Wielgus had a premature birth at Ascension Saint Thomas, where support from the care team helped her daughter thrive after a four-week NICU stay.
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Thoracic surgeon Dr. John Lazar at Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, Tennessee treated a patient’s severe airway condition with a robotic-assisted tracheobronchoplasty.
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John McEuen, a founding member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Bands is celebrating his life, thanks to the expert cardiac care he received at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville.
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Dr. Jason Barnett, a gynecologic oncologist at Tennessee Oncology, helped treat a mother of two with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer that had spread to other parts of her body while receiving care at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown.
John Spooner, MD, neurosurgeon at Howell Allen Clinic with Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville, TN, helps a grandmother with a large brain aneurysm get back to creating art.
Lung cancer teams at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West in Nashville, TN, perform Ion robotic bronchoscopy and resection for the first time in hospital history.
Mark A. Zenker, MD, cardiologist at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart's Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic, research with CAMZYOS helps grandmother feel better.
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Brooke got a second chance with a kidney transplant at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West Kidney Transplant Center in Nashville, TN.
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Cardiologist Dr. Ricardo Lugo becomes Tennessee's first cardiologist to insert the Micra™ VR2 wireless pacemaker in a patient.
Knoxville man urgently receives a new heart and a second chance at life at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart in Nashville, TN.
Murfreesboro man gets emergency heart care when going into cardiac arrest during a prostate cancer removal at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford.
April 5, 2023
A Nashville couple turns to Ascension Saint Thomas Kidney Transplant Center for a kidney transplant, where a patient receives his wife's kidney.