The discovery of the first mutation in the SCN5A gene encoding the human cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel more than 2 decades ago launched a new era in our understanding of the molecular and genetic basis of arrhythmias. Subsequent work has…
The pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains incompletely characterized; however, epidemiologic studies demonstrate a heritable basis for the arrhythmia. In recent years, the appreciation of AF heritability has stimulated the search for the genetic underpinnings of the disease. Genetic mapping…
Introduction Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) represent the most common rhythms documented in patients with sudden cardiac arrest. , Even in specific population subsets, such as patients with preexisting intraventricular conduction disease, ventricular tachyarrhythmias are the most common…
Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia seen in clinical practice, and its prevalence is progressively increasing in developed countries. The highly successful catheter-based procedure, pioneered by Haissaguerre and colleagues, of ablating ectopic triggers that arise from…
Acknowledgments This work is supported in part by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional; DTS16/00160; PI14/00857, PI16/01123; PI17/01059; PI17/01106); the Agencia Estatal de Investigación RYC2018-024346-I, Generalitat Valenciana grants (APOSTD/2017 and APOSTD/2018) and projects (GVA/2018/267);…
Acknowledgments This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to Dr. Narayan (HL83359, HL103800, and HL149134) and to Dr. Rappel (HL122384 and HL145500). Dr. Zaman is funded by a Fulbright award and by a fellowship…
Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System The autonomic nervous system can be viewed as the interface between the central nervous system and the viscera, glands, and blood vessels. Integration of the neural trafficking among the afferent and efferent autonomic nerves and their…
Introduction The autonomic nervous system plays a pivotal role in the control of cardiac function. Cardiac autonomic control occurs through sympathetic, parasympathetic, and sensory neurons that densely innervate the heart and provide tropic responses. The parasympathetic system promotes negative chronotropic…
Acknowledgments This study was supported in part by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants R01HL139829 and 1OT2OD028190 (Dr. Chen), a Charles Fisch Cardiovascular Research Award endowed by Dr. Suzanne B. Knoebel of the Krannert Institute of Cardiology (Drs. Kusayama and…
Introduction Posttranslational modification of ion channels and related proteins is an important determinant of transcription, splicing, functional expression, localization, and macromolecular assembly. Ion channels and their modifications are important in virtually all physiologic processes and in the heart and vasculature…