According to Dr Tarlochan Singh Kler, senior consultant cardiologist, head of department of Electrophysiology and Cardiac pacing at Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre, ``A serious heart problem can stop the heart from pumping blood; this is known as cardiac arrest. And when the doctor recommends EPS, it is because other tests may not have provided enough information about your heart rhythm problem. During EPS, your heart rhythm is closely monitored, and any changes are studied, he says. EPS can helpdetermine exactly what your rhythm problem is and what can be done to control it, he says.

According to him this kind of therapy was not really available in the country till now. Also, this therapy has not really been focussed on in medical circles. But in the last 15 years, a lot of development has taken place in this field and a lot of new concepts have come up.

In the country, there are many patients suffering with the problem of fast palpitations, and now this new treatment is available for Rs 40,000. However, only a few selected hospitals in the country offer this facility, he adds.

Usually a patient first goes to the cardiologist, after he has experienced the above symptoms since he is not really aware of the existence of such a therapy. What the patients should do is to first get the ECG done and count the pulse rate, he says.

One should remember that stress does not effect rhythm disorder. Basically, signals from the heart's electrical system set the heart rhythm. If there is a problem withthese signals, your heart may beat too slowly, too quickly, or irregularly. Each of these problems is called arrhythmia, Kler says.

Sometimes, problems with the heart's electrical signals lead to a fast heart rhythm, and too many signals may make the heart beat very fast, which is known as tachycardia.

The EPS usually takes from one to four hours, you may be given medication to relax you, or you maybe made to sleep during the procedure. After the study one usually stays in the hospital for a couple of hours or overnight.

The area where the electrode catheter is to be inserted is numbed with local anesthetic (groin, neck, chest or arm). A small puncture is then made in the vein. One or more catheters are inserted into veins and moved toward the heart. Their movement is monitored on a video screen. The catheters are then positioned in the heart. These electrode catheters can record electrical activity in the heart, Kler says. Many of the tachycardia patients can be cured permanently, and no medicines arerequired after this treatment.