1 Non-invasive detection of exercise induced cardiac conduction abnormalities in sudden cardiac death survivors in the inherited arrhythmic syndromes

Introduction: Rate adaptation of the action potential ensures spatial heterogeneities in conduction across the myocardium are minimised at different heart rates which provides a physiologically protective mechanism against the development of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Whilst beat to beat whole heart activation patterns may be characterised with current electroanatomical mapping techniques, quantifying these changes remains a challenge. We developed a method to rapidly quantify changes in ventricular activation in response to rate cycle length changes as a surrogate for abnormalities in rate adaptation. Using this technique, we tested the hypothesis that patients with a history of aborted SCD due to an underlying channelopathy or cardiomyopathy have a reduced capacity to maintain uniform activation following exercise.

Source: Europace - October 5, 2017 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research