Before your procedure:

- During your pre-op appointment you physician will review which medications should be held and for how long.

• Typically, newer blood thinners such as apixaban (Eliquis), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and dabigatran (Pradaxa) are held for 1-2doses
• Warfarin (Coumadin) is held for 5-7days; may be combined with Lovenox injections during the time off warfarin, which will be determined by your doctor if this is necessary
• Aspirin, Plavix, Effient, and Brilinta do not need to be stopped

- DO NOT eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your procedure.

- You will receive a call from the office the afternoon prior to your procedure to confirm the time of arrival.

After your procedure:

- You may stay overnight in the hospital, but most often you will go home the same day as the procedure after several hours of observation.

- All medications will be restarted after the procedure. Specific instructions regarding any blood thinners will be discussed with your discharging doctor regarding timing of when to resume these medication. 

- You can shower the day after hospital discharge. You do not need to cover the incision but do not scrub over the area and just pat dry after the shower. NO pool, jacuzzi, sauna, or the like until cleared by the doctor at your 1st follow-up visit (@1week)

- You can drive once your pain is controlled without narcotic medications and you are not limited for typical movement during driving by pain, usually 2-3days post-procedure.

- You can return to work in 2-3days if off narcotic pain medication and if you are not required to do any heavy lifting or severe physical activity/exertion.

- When to return to full activity and exercise:

• 1 week after ablation, loop recorder, or device battery changes procedures unless otherwise instructed.
• 1 month after pacemaker/ICD/CRT and any new leads/wires. Limitation is the arm on the side of the device implant. That arm  should not be raised above the shoulder or lift/carry anything >5lbs. Walking, biking, or other lower body exercise is permitted after 1week.

CONFLICTING INSTRUCTIONS:

If you receive instructions different from what was told to you by your physician (Dr. V, primary care physician, or relayed by our office), ie. from a pre-op nurse, pharmacist, or other ancillary health care staff, please follow the instructions from your physician.