Cardiologist Nisha Tung, MD, Runs the first Prescott Electrophysiology Program to Achieve the Best Possible Outcome for Local Patients
When Nisha Tung, MD, was a young girl she wanted to be a surgeon when she grew up. After all, she came from a family of physicians. Medicine was in her blood. Plus, her family had a history of heart problems. So, as an adult, she decided to enter the field of cardiology.
Dr. Tung began her career at Indiana University in Indianapolis as a resident in internal medicine. She then moved to Arizona to complete a cardiology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, where she was hired as a general cardiologist.
Around this time, Dr. Tung decided to specialize in electrophysiology, a subspecialty of cardiology and relocated to Los Angeles to receive training at the University of California. As a newly board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist and cardiologist, Dr. Tung returned to Phoenix and entered private practice.
“I soon recognized the need for an electrophysiologist in Northern Arizona,” she said. “It was a real hardship for patients to come to Phoenix for consultation, procedures, and follow-up. I decided it would be best to establish an outreach clinic in North Central Arizona. After falling in love with the community of Prescott I accepted an offer with Yavapai Regional Medical Center to develop an electrophysiology program in 2015.”
Today Dr. Tung is the director of a growing electrophysiology program within YRMC’s James Family Heart Center.
“When the electrophysiology program began in August 2015 we were already booked with procedures,” she said. “Since then procedures have doubled to about 500 a year.”
“I am extremely passionate about my patients,” she continued. “With me, every patient is a VIP. I am deeply committed to achieving the best outcome for every patient in my care.”
When not working, Dr. Tung enjoys hiking, biking, tennis, racquetball, and pickleball. She also enjoys spending time with her family and her 10-year-old son, who wants to be a doctor when he grows up.
Electrophysiology Services at YRMC
Electrophysiology is a subspecialty of general cardiology which deals exclusively with electrical pulses that regulate the heart. When these pulses beat steadily, they signal the heart to pump the blood that oxygenates, feeds and protects the body. When the heartbeat is off—either too fast, slow, or erratic—arrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythms, develop. These arrhythmias can lead to stroke, heart attack, and even sudden death.
As an electrophysiologist at YRMC’s James Family Heart Center, Dr. Nisha Tung specializes in identifying and correcting these arrhythmias. Depending on the source of the problem, she may use cardiac ablation, a noninvasive procedure where she inserts a slim catheter and treats problem cells by applying cold or heat. Or she may need to regulate the heart’s rhythm by implanting a device like a pacemaker or defibrillator, which she then monitors through remote follow-up technology.
So how do you know if you have an arrhythmia? Symptoms include fluttering in the chest, chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, sweating and anxiety. If you experience these symptoms see your primary care physician or seek emergency care if the pain is severe. If your provider believes that you have an arrhythmia, ask for a referral to see Dr. Nisha Tung in Prescott.