Utah Health System Battles Growing Heart Rhythm Crisis With Statewide Expansion

Silent Epidemic Spreads Across Utah

A dangerous health crisis is quietly spreading across Utah and the Mountain West, affecting millions of Americans who may not even know they're at risk. Heart rhythm disorders now affect nearly 128 million adults in the United States, with atrial fibrillation affecting more than 37.5 million people worldwide . What makes this particularly alarming is that "Many people live with heart rhythm disorders without knowing the risk they face for stroke or heart failure," according to Dr. David Wang, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital.

Heart rhythm disorders, or arrhythmias, occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate heartbeats don't function properly, causing the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly . The most concerning aspect? Experts predict AFib cases will increase by more than 60% by 2050 , making this one of the fastest-growing health challenges in America.

Statewide Response to Combat the Crisis

Recognizing the severity of this "silent epidemic," Intermountain Health is adding heart specialists in Central Utah, Utah County, Salt Lake County, Davis County, Weber County, Washington County, and Cache County to improve access to care for patients . This expansion represents one of the most comprehensive efforts to address heart rhythm disorders across an entire state.

The health system's response goes beyond simply adding doctors. Intermountain Health doctors perform more than 10,000 heart and vascular procedures each year in the state of Utah , and the organization has more than 400 employed and affiliated cardiovascular care providers serving patients across the region. Their approach includes cutting-edge technology, with specialists having implanted the first leadless ICD and pacemaker device in the Mountain West .

Advanced Treatment Options Now Available

The expansion brings sophisticated treatment options closer to patients throughout Utah. "At Intermountain Health, we use cutting edge technology with minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat a variety of arrhythmia mechanisms including atrial fibrillation," explains Dr. Wang. These treatments range from medication management to advanced procedures like cardiac catheter ablation and cardioversion.

For patients who need urgent evaluation, the CARE program, which stands for Cardiac Arrhythmia Risk Evaluation, is for patients who need to see a doctor urgently because they may be at risk for a serious heart rhythm disorder, with CARE patients receiving priority scheduling . This specialized program ensures that high-risk patients receive immediate attention when time is critical.

The Path Forward

This statewide expansion comes at a crucial time, as research continues to reveal the true scope of heart rhythm disorders. Recent studies have shown that conditions like atrial fibrillation are far more common than previously recognized, with some research indicating the condition appears in approximately one in four patients with peripheral arterial disease.

The expansion also positions Utah as a leader in cardiovascular care innovation. With comprehensive services now available across seven counties and advanced research programs producing groundbreaking findings, patients throughout the state will have access to world-class heart rhythm care without traveling to major metropolitan areas. This decentralized approach could serve as a model for other regions facing similar challenges with cardiovascular disease.