Walter Lawrence Atiga, MD| Electrophysiology | MedStar Health

Walter Lawrence Atiga, MD
Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

4.9 out of 5 (419 reviews)

Specialties: Electrophysiology

Languages: English

(703) 208-7259

About me

Dr. Atiga’s expertise is the diagnosis and treatment of all types of cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), ventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), and bradycardia. He is also a specialist in determining causes of syncope. To treat these conditions, he uses techniques including catheter ablation without the need for fluoroscopy, implantation of pacemakers, and implantation of defibrillators. Dr. Atiga specializes in device therapy to treat orthostatic intolerance and is particularly interested in using devices to treat electromechanical cardiac dysfunction that can result in heart failure.

Philosophy of Care
“I treat each of my patients with compassion and respect. I treat each patient as though they are a member of my family. I recognize that each individual requires a unique approach to treating their particular heart rhythm issues. An integral part of this approach is listening to the patient’s needs and making sure that they are fully informed of their different treatment options—only then can they make the best possible healthcare decisions for their personal circumstances.”

Clinical areas of focus

  • Atrial Fibrillation
  • Cardiac Ablation
  • Cardiac Arrhythmias
  • Heart Racing
  • Implantable Defibrillator
  • Pacemaker
  • Palpitations
  • Supraventricular Tachycardia
  • Tachycardia
  • Watchman Device Implantation
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Conditions and procedures

Conditions I treat

  • Abnormal Electrocardiogram (EKG)
  • Anomalous Atrioventricular Excitation
  • Arrhythmias During Pregnancy
  • Arrhythmias In Adults With Congenital Heart Diseases
  • Atrial Fibrillation
  • Atrial Flutter
  • Atrial Tachycardia
  • Atrioventricular Block
  • Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia
  • Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia
  • Bradycardia
  • Brugada Syndrome
  • Cardiac Arrhythmias
  • Cardiac Channelopathies
  • Cardiac Conduction Defects
  • Cardiac Device Infection
  • Cardiac Device Malfunction
  • Cardiac Sarcoidosis
  • Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
  • Complete Atrioventricular Block
  • Complex Arrhythmia
  • Conduction Defects
  • Familial Arrhythmias
  • Family History Of Sudden Cardiac Death
  • First Degree Heart Block
  • Heart Racing
  • Lead Malfunction
  • Left Bundle Branch Block
  • Long Qt Syndrome
  • Lown Ganong Levine Syndrome
  • Pacemaker Infection
  • Pacemaker Malfunction
  • Palpitations
  • Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia
  • Paroxysmal Tachycardia
  • Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
  • Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
  • Postural Tachycardia Syndrome
  • Pre Excitation Syndrome
  • Premature Atrial Contraction
  • Premature Beats
  • Premature Ventricular Contractions
  • Presyncope
  • Right Bundle Branch Block
  • Short Qt Syndrome
  • Sick Sinus Syndrome
  • Sinoatrial Node Dysfunction
  • Sinus Node Dysfunction
  • Supraventricular Tachycardia
  • Syncope
  • Tachycardia
  • Tachycardia Bradycardia Syndrome
  • Trifascicular Block
  • Type 1 Second Degree Heart Block
  • Type 2 Second Degree Heart Block
  • Vasovagal Syncope
  • Ventricular Arrhythmia
  • Ventricular Fibrillation
  • Ventricular Tachycardia
  • Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome
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Procedures I perform

  • 4D Flow Mri
  • Ablation Arrhythmogenic Focus
  • Ablation Av Node
  • Ablation For Supraventricular Tachycardia
  • Ablation For Ventricular Tachycardia
  • Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
  • Atrial Fibrillation Cryoablation
  • Atrial Fibrillation Radiofrequency Ablation
  • Cardiac Ablation
  • Cardiac Contractility Modulation (CCM)
  • Cardiac Device Implant
  • Cardiac Devices
  • Cardiac Implantable Device Replacement
  • Cardiac Mapping
  • Cardioversion
  • Convergent Procedure
  • Defibrillator Malfunction
  • Holter Monitor
  • Implantable Cardiac Monitor Procedure
  • Implantable Defibrillator
  • Intracardiac Catheter Ablation
  • Intravenous Lead Extraction
  • Lariat Procedure
  • Laser Lead Extraction
  • Lead Extraction
  • Loop Recorder
  • Pacemaker
  • Pacemaker And Icd Interrogation
  • Pacemaker Placement
  • Pulmonary Vein Isolation
  • Radiofrequency Rhizotomy
  • Remote Cardiac Device Monitoring
  • Replacement Of Defibrillator
  • Resynchronization Therapy
  • Tilt Table Test
  • Transvenous Lead Extraction
  • Watchman Device Implantation
  • Wearable Defibrillator
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Practice locations

Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location

1830 Town Center Drive
Suite 405
Reston, VA, 20190

703-208-7257

Fax 855-374-5342

Get Directions

miles away

Fax 855-374-5342

3020 Hamaker Court
Suite 502
Fairfax, VA, 22031

703-208-7257

Fax 855-374-5342

Get Directions

miles away

Fax 855-374-5342

10 Saint Patricks Drive
Waldorf, MD, 20603

703-208-7257

Fax 855-374-5342

Get Directions

miles away

Fax 855-374-5342

Insurance

MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.

  • List of insurance plans we accept
    • Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
    • Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
    • Innovation Health: Open POS II
    • Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
    • Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
    • Innovation Health: POS Plus
    • Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
    • Innovation Health: POS
    • Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
    • Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
    • Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
    • Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
    • Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
    • Aetna HMO
    • Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
    • Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
    • Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
    • Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
    • Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
    • Cigna Preferred Medicare
    • Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
    • Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
    • Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
    • United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
    • United Student Resources
    • United Select Plus (POS)
    • United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
    • United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
    • United Golden Rule
    • United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
    • D-SNP)
    • I-SNP
    • United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
    • United Erickson Advantage Plans
    • United Choice Plus
    • United Choice
    • United Mamsi Life & Health
    • United Core Essential (HMO)
    • MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
    • MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
    • United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
    • United MD IPA (HMO)
    • Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
    • Kaiser Signature
    • Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
    • Kaiser Select-Added Choice
    • Kaiser Select
    • Kaiser Medicare Plus
    • Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
    • Kaiser Flexible Choice
    • Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
    • HumanaChoice PPO
    • HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
    • Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
    • Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
    • Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
    • Cigna POS/Network POS
    • Cigna Indemnity
    • Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
    • Cigna Network Open Access
    • Cigna HMO Open Access
    • Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
    • Cigna EPO
    • Cigna Choice Fund PPO
    • Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
    • AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
    • AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
    • Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
    • Amerigroup DC Alliance
    • Innovation Health: Indemnity
    • Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
    • Aetna Student Health Insurance
    • Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
    • Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
    • Innovation Health: PPO
    • Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
    • Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
    • WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
    • WellPoint Maryland
    • Virginia Premier
    • Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
    • UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
    • United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
    • Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP)
    • Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
    • Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
    • Police and Fire Clinic
    • United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
    • United Optimum Choice
    • United Navigate
    • United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
    • United AARP Medicare Complete
    • Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
    • Medicaid - Virginia
    • Medicaid - Maryland
    • Medicaid - District of Columbia
    • Tricare for Life East
    • Tricare Reserve Select
    • Tricare East Select
    • Tricare East Prime
    • Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
    • HealthyBlue PPO
    • Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
    • CareFirst NASCO
    • CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
    • CareFirst MedStar PPO
    • CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
    • CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
    • CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
    • CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
    • CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
    • CareFirst Administrators
    • CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
    • Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
    • Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
    • Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
    • Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
    • Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
    • Carefirst EPO
    • Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
    • Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
    • Coventry Health Care of Virginia
    • Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
    • First Health PPO
    • MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
    • Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA

Education

Fellowship: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1999)

Residency: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (1998)

Residency: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (1993)

Residency: Loma Linda University Medical Center (1992)

Medical School: Loma Linda University School Of Medicine (1990)

Ratings and reviews

  • Explanations the care provider gave you about your problem or condition

    4.9
  • Extent to which the care provider listened to you

    4.9
  • Care provider's discussion of any proposed treatment (options, risks, benefits, etc.)

    4.9
  • Care provider's efforts to include you in decisions about your care

    4.9
  • Concern the care provider showed for your questions or worries

    4.9
  • Likelihood of recommending this care provider to others

    4.9
  • Feb 28, 2024

    Remarkable

  • Feb 21, 2024

    I was anxious about what the consultation would mean for me. Dr. Atiga explained the results of tests that I had previously taken. Some was info I did not know about. He explained everything that he could do, and we made a plan. Scary, but I felt confident with the doctor.

  • Feb 12, 2024

    I highly recommend Dr Atiga