Snyder Center for Atrial Fibrillation

Learning you have an irregular heart rhythm like atrial fibrillation (AFib) can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. We can help you feel better and more in control of your health, even if you don’t have symptoms.

At the Snyder Center for Comprehensive Atrial Fibrillation, our team cares for thousands of patients with AFib and other arrhythmias. We offer the most effective options to treat AFib and reduce your risk for stroke, heart failure, and other problems.

Even if you don’t have symptoms, AFib isn’t something you should ignore. At the Snyder Center at Valley, we’ll take the time to explain your condition, so you feel more in control.  

When Should I Get Help for AFib?

You may not have any symptoms if you only learned about your AFib during a routine test like an electrocardiogram (ECG). Or you may experience symptoms of AFib such as:

• Heart palpitations (feeling like your heart is pounding or fluttering)
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Fainting (syncope)
• Angina (chest pain)

Even if you don’t have symptoms, we can help reduce your risk for stroke, which is higher when you have AFib. And if left untreated, AFib can be more difficult to treat and even cause heart failure. That’s why it’s best to seek care early, when treatment can give you the best results.

Comprehensive Care to Help Your Heart

At the Snyder Center, our team-based approach means you can see all the AFib experts you need. Services available include:

• Electrophysiology
• Cardiac imaging
• Weight loss management
• Sleep medicine
• Nutrition
• Stress reduction
• Physical fitness
• Patient education and seminars

Our nurse navigator will schedule all your appointments, so you can save time and focus on your health.

The Snyder Center Approach to AFib Care

At your first appointment, we’ll get to know you so we can make sure our program is right for you. We’ll also answer your questions and discuss your options based on your:

• AFib symptoms, such as palpitations and syncope (fainting)
• Lifestyle habits and overall health
• Personal preferences and goals

Personalized AFib Treatment

AFib is different for everyone. That’s why we customize a care plan that works for you. This may include:

• Lifestyle changes: Poor sleep, nutrition and other factors can affect your AFib. Our care team works closely with you to help you adopt healthy habits for your heart. We can help with weight loss, stress management and other changes to improve your AFib.
• Medication management: Finding the right balance with medicines is important for managing AFib. We’ll adjust your medications when needed to keep your symptoms under control.
• Procedures: You don’t have to travel into the city to find doctors who specialize in the latest procedures for AFib. The Snyder Center offers cardioversion to reset your heart rhythm. We also have the most advanced catheter ablation techniques to correct the electrical pathways in your heart causing your AFib.
• Cardiac devices: We may recommend a pacemaker if your heartbeat gets too slow. Our electrophysiologists are skilled in using advanced techniques to optimize your treatment with a pacemaker.
• Stroke prevention: AFib increases your risk for stroke. Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) devices like Watchman and Amulet can reduce these risks.
• Heart failure care: If you have AFib and heart failure, your Snyder Center team will coordinate your care with Valley’s heart failure specialists. Together, we can provide advanced treatments that are only available at leading hospitals.

Ongoing Monitoring

If you have AFib, managing your heart is a daily responsibility. We’ll be there with you, long after your initial treatment.

We’ll continue to monitor your heart and overall health to make sure your AFib is stable or improving. If you have a pacemaker, we can even monitor your heart remotely so you can avoid trips to the center.

Conditions Treated 

• Arrhythmia
• Atrial Fibrillation
• Chest Pain (Angina)
• Fainting (Syncope)
• Heart Failure
• Heart Palpitations
• Stroke

Why Choose Valley for Atrial Fibrillation and Arrhythmia Care? 

• A focus on your total health: Our comprehensive program aims to improve your overall health, not just your AFib. We’ll help you work on other health issues or habits that may add to or worsen your arrhythmia. We’ll also provide the resources you need to make changes like eating a healthier diet or losing weight. And we can help you manage other factors contributing to your AFib, like sleep apnea or stress.
• Nationally recognized expertise in AFib: Our leaders are among the country’s leading experts in atrial fibrillation and complex arrhythmias. That’s why many doctors from other hospitals refer their patients to Valley. We conduct research that guides AFib treatment in centers nationwide. We also continuously monitor our outcomes so we can offer our patients the most effective treatments.
• Access to the latest care options: As national leaders in AFib care, our doctors test new devices and procedures not available at many hospitals. You don’t need to drive to the city or get lost in an unfamiliar health system. You have access to clinical trials and the latest advances in treatment, right in the comfort of your community hospital. 
• An accredited facility: Valley’s Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission in the areas of testing and ablation, device implantation and chronic lead extraction. This seal of approval means that our AFib care meets rigorous quality standards.
• Alliance with Cleveland Clinic: We benchmark our outcomes with the Cleveland Clinic, the nation’s No. 1 heart program, ranked by U.S. News & World Report. This alliance helps us maintain the Snyder Center’s high standard of excellence.