EP News: Basic and Translational January 10, 2012
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Arrhythmia, Atrial fibrillation, Genetic testing
add a comment
Genetic Testing as a Class I Indication for Patient Care
Gersh et al (Circulation 2011;13:124, PMID 22068435) updated the ACCF/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and treatment of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).
In this updated recommendation for HCM, genetic testing is listed as a Class I recommendation to evaluate patients with HCM. All patients who undergo genetic testing should also undergo genetic counseling. Genetic screening is recommended in first-degree relatives of patients with HCM. In addition, genetic testing is recommended for patients with an atypical clinical presentation of HCM or when another genetic condition is suspected to be the cause. However, the Task Force also played down the importance of using specific mutations to predict the likelihood of sudden cardiac death (SCD). While some earlier works found certain mutations are “malignant,” subsequent studies showed in some instances the rate of adverse events (and prevalence of associated SCD risk markers) was lower in patients with “malignant” mutations than it was in those with mutations believed to be “benign.” (more…)
American Heart Association Meeting Report December 5, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: cardiac arrhythmia, Ventricular arrhythmia, Ventricular fibrillation
1 comment so far
Stellate Ganglionitis and Ventricular Arrhythmia
During the American Heart Association Annual Meeting, Rizzo et al (Circulation 2011:124:A13059) reported pathological characteristics of stellate ganglia resected from five long QT syndrome (LQTS) and five catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) patients. (more…)
EP News: Basic and Translational November 14, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Cardiac electrophysiology, Research, Science
add a comment
Acetylcholine-Synthesizing T Cells Relay Neural Signals in a Vagus Nerve Circuit
Neural circuits regulate cytokine production to prevent potentially damaging inflammation. A prototypical vagus nerve circuit, the inflammatory reflex, inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α production in spleen by a mechanism requiring acetylcholine signaling through the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expressed on cytokine-producing macrophages. Nerve fibers in spleen lack the enzymatic machinery necessary for acetylcholine production; therefore, how does this neural circuit terminate in cholinergic signaling? (more…)
EP News: Basic and Translational October 6, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Atrial fibrillation, Defibrillation, Heart Failure
add a comment
Defibrillation with High-Frequency Electric Field
Tandri et al (Sci Transl Med 2011;3:102ra96) studied the effects of electrical stimulation on conduction block in cardiac tissues. Electrical stimulation has been applied to nervous tissue to cause reversible conduction block, but has not been explored sufficiently in cardiac tissue.
The authors show that reversible propagation block can be achieved in cardiac tissue by holding myocardial cells in a refractory state for a designated period of time by applying a sustained sinusoidal high-frequency alternating current (HFAC). In doing so, reentrant arrhythmias are terminated.
EP News: Basic and Translational September 9, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy
add a comment
Genetic Variation in Titin in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited genetic myocardial disease characterized by fibrofatty replacement of the myocardium and a predisposition to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death.
Taylor et al (Circulation 2011; 124:876, PMID 21810661) evaluated the cardiomyopathy gene titin (TTN) as a candidate ARVC gene because of its proximity to an ARVC locus at position 2q32 and the connection of the titin protein to the transitional junction at intercalated disks. (more…)
August EP News: Basic and Translational August 8, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: AF, Arrhythmia, Clinical trials, Sodium channels
add a comment
Structure and function of sodium channels
Many voltage-gated ion channel (VGIC) superfamily members contain six-transmembrane segments in which the first four form a voltage-sensing domain (VSD) and the last two form the pore domain (PD).
Studies of potassium channels from the VGIC superfamily together with identification of voltage-sensor only proteins have suggested that the VSD and the PD can fold independently. Whether such transmembrane modularity is common to other VGIC superfamily members has remained untested. (more…)
EP News: Basic and Translational July 20, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Afib, Arrhythmias, Atrial fibrillation, Long QT Syndrome, LQTS, Repolarization, Sex hormones
add a comment
Sex Hormones and Arrhythmia
Buber et al (Circulation 2011;123:2748, PMID 21632495) hypothesized that the hormonal changes associated with menopause may affect clinical risk in this population. The authors studied 282 LQT1 (n=151) and LQT2 (n=131) women enrolled in the Long-QT Syndrome Registry. (more…)
Recent EP Research: Basic and Translational June 20, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Long QT Syndrome, LQTS, Ventricular preexcitation
add a comment
Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Investigate Cardiac Phenotypes in Timothy Syndrome
Individuals with long QT syndrome (LQTS) are at risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia. LQTS is commonly genetic in origin but can also be caused or exacerbated by environmental factors. A missense mutation in the L-type calcium channel Ca(V)1.2 leads to LQTS in patients with Timothy syndrome. (more…)
June Science and Research Highlights June 7, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Brain Pathology, Circulation, Circulation Research, PNAS
add a comment
Imaging the electromechanical activity of the heart in vivo
Provost et al (PNAS 2011;108:8565, PMID: 21571641) developed a new method to image electromechanical activity of the heart in vivo. Cardiac conduction abnormalities remain a major cause of death and disability worldwide. However, there is no standard clinical imaging modality that can noninvasively map the electrical activation. (more…)
Basic and Translational Research May 20, 2011
Posted by Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS in Science & Research.Tags: Cardiovascular Research Journal, Circulation Research Journal, European Heart Journal, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Journal of Physiology
add a comment
Upregulation of ventricular potassium channels by chronic tamoxifen treatment
Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator widely used in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Although acute perfusion of tamoxifen has been shown to inhibit cardiac K(+) currents, women receiving long term tamoxifen therapy do not have increased arrhythmia. (more…)
Heart Rhythm Society
Laurie Racenet, RN, MSN, ANP
Michael Giudici, MD, FACC, FACP, FHRS
Heather M. Ross, DNP, ANP-BC, CCDS, CEPS, FHRS
Anne Dubin, MD, FHRS
John D. Day, MD, FHRS
Andrea M. Russo, MD, FACC, FHRS
Joshua M. Cooper, MD, FACC
Amit J. Shanker, MD, FHRS, FACC
Bruce Stambler, MD
David Wiggins, RN, BS BME, CEPS
Fred M. Kusumoto, MD, FHRS
Leonard Ganz, MD, FHRS
christinechiuman
Craig Delaughter, MD, PhD
Ariana Del Negro, Heart Rhythm 2010 Quality
Peng-Sheng Chen, MD, FHRS
MSKremers MD,FHRS
Ann C. Garlitski, MD, FACC, FHRS
Alan Cheng, MD, FHRS
Ulrika Birgersdotter-Green, MD
Christopher Clyne, MD, FHRS
Kathleen Blake, MD, MPH, FHRS
David Scher, MD, FHRS
Sanjay Deshpande, MD, FHRS
