New safer, less invasive AFib treatment available in Southern Colorado [Video]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – For the first time in Southern Colorado, there’s a new treatment for patients with a common heart problem that affects millions of Americans. Atrial Fibrillation, or AFib, is an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm.

“It causes a lot of symptoms, palpitations, fatigue, weakness. It also causes a lot of strokes,” said Dr. Brad Mikaelian, electrophysiologist at UCHealth Memorial. “One in three people will have AFib in their lifetime.”

Maria Pluemer underwent a new procedure in mid-April becoming one of the first AFib patients in Southern Colorado to do so. She was diagnosed with AFib five years ago.

“I felt my heart beating funny and I was extremely tired and exhausted all the time,” Pluemer said.

Dr. Mikaelian is now offering the new procedure called a pulsed field ablation (PFA).

“It creates a field of energy that destroys those cells causing the problems,” he said.

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