This book teaches the fundamental concepts of cardiac
electrophysiology with an emphasis on the relationship of basic
mechanisms to clinical arrhythmias. Understanding this relationship and
the underlying mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis will be valuable to
medical students in general and physicians entering the fields of
cardiology and clinical electrophysiology, as well as those scientists
and clinicians already working in this field.
The book is divided
into three parts that cover the major mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis:
Part I - Automaticity, Part II - Afterdepolarizations and Triggered
Activity, and Part III - Abnormal Impulse Conduction and Reentry. Each
part starts with a chapter that describes the basic science principles
related to that particular mechanism. Topics include: impulse initiation
and rate control, membrane currents, conduction, and the effects of
programmed electrical stimulation and pharmacologic agents. Subsequent
chapters in each part are organized around examples of clinical
arrhythmias and then focus on the relevant EP mechanisms and the
characteristic responses to interventions. The characteristics of the
three different mechanisms are compared and contrasted throughout the
text.
Throughout
the book, the aspects of basic EP mechanisms and examples from EP
studies and pharmacologic interventions are paired with clinical
examples. The end result is enhanced understanding of how EP mechanisms
and testing relate to arrhythmogenesis in a way that can be applied
broadly to a variety of situations in a clinical setting.
This definitive book also includes:
- More than 300 figures, including ECGs and original diagrams that illustrate essential electrophysiology concepts.
- Case
studies of clinical arrhythmias with explanations of how ECG
characteristics and the responses to electrical stimulation denote
arrhythmogenic mechanisms.
