Beaumont has been a longstanding leader in cardiovascular care and technology. Thanks to the generosity of Max and Debra Ernst and their family, the Ernst Cardiovascular Center became a reality. The new 4,537 square-foot Center, which opened in Fall 2010, offers multidisciplinary clinics for atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease, congestive heart failure, adult and student cardiovascular screening and complex aortic disease.

What is the size of your EP lab facility and number of staff members? What is the mix of credentials at your lab?

The EP lab at Mount Carmel Health System is a system-based department that has responsibility for five labs at three facilities: Mount Carmel East in Columbus, Ohio, Mount Carmel West in Columbus, Ohio, and Mount Carmel St. Ann’s in Westerville, Ohio. We have 19 RNs: Ryan Bailey, RN, BS; Teri Balser, RN; Katrina Bratton, RN, BSN; Laurie Bussey, RN; Jody Cain, RN; Rhonda Edwards, RN, BSN; Lori Fravel-Petruska, RN, BSN; Jennifer Harvey, RN, BSN; Stephanie Henery, RN; Molly Hoover, RN; Sonya Kennedy, RN; Lois Kozlowski, RN; Mariann Menter, RN; Brian Reymond, RN, BSN; Anne Rorapaugh, RN; Elizabeth Siferd, RN; Meggan Stiltner, RN, MSN; Doris Will, RN; and Joey Young, RN, BSN. We have three RTs: Lee Crum, RT, BA, Jean DiDonato, RT, and Kevin Odle, RT. There are seven electrophysiologists: Dr. F. Kevin Hackett, Dr. Ken Lee, Dr. Kamel Addo, Dr. Shaialesh Patel, Dr. Charles Noble, Dr. Jiang Cui, and Dr. Christopher Frank. We also have three interventional cardiologists who implant devices: Dr. Jack Stanko, Dr. Tyrus Frerking, and Dr. Keith Pattison.

Tell us about your medical background and how you came to work in the field of electrophysiology. What interested you about this field?

I first became interested in electrophysiology as an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis. After my first year of college, I worked in a laboratory in the cardiovascular division, where my research mentor introduced me to clinical cardiology. I have always had a fondness for physics, and I particularly like conceptual disciplines. Electrophysiology was a natural fit for these interests, and it was at this time in my life that I realized that the relatively new, technologically advanced field of EP would be the perfect career for me.

In this next installment of the ECG 101 section, the author describes wide complex tachycardias, which can be a challenge to diagnose based on the 12-lead ECG alone.

Case Report

A 20-year-old male presents to the Emergency Department with complaints of a sudden onset of palpitations. He states he was studying for his final exams when he had palpitations associated with mild chest discomfort and shortness of breath. He drank two glasses of water without relief and finally called 911. Per the record, the paramedics found him to be agitated and anxious. His blood pressure was 110/80 and his pulse was 190 beats/min. His ECG at the time of presentation showed a wide complex tachycardia (WCT) with a heart rate of 200 bpm (Figure 1).