Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026

Isolation and Functional Characterization of Human Ventricular Cardiomyocytes from Fresh Surgical Samples
Published on: April 21, 2014
Nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias in patients with structural heart disease unrelated to abnormal myocardial
Ethan R Ellis1, Alexei Shvilkin1, Mark E Josephson1
1Harvard-Thorndike Electrophysiology Institute, Cardiovascular Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Insights
Nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias are common in patients with structural heart disease. Their origins differ from those in patients with normal hearts, impacting treatment and outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Ventricular arrhythmias without structural heart disease are termed 'idiopathic.'
- Prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias in structural heart disease is not well-defined.
- Mechanisms and origins of ventricular arrhythmias are similar in both groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- Determine the prevalence of nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias in structural heart disease.
- Compare these arrhythmias to those in structurally normal hearts.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 249 patients undergoing ventricular arrhythmia ablation.
- Identified 97 patients (39%) with nonreentrant arrhythmias unrelated to structural heart disease.
- Categorized patients into structurally normal hearts (55) and structural heart disease (42).
Main Results:
- Patients with structural heart disease more often had nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias originating from aortic cusps and left ventricular outflow tract.
- Patients without structural heart disease more frequently had arrhythmias from the right ventricular outflow tract.
- Left ventricular ejection fraction significantly improved post-ablation in structural heart disease patients.
Conclusions:
- Nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias are frequent in structural heart disease, with distinct origins.
- Understanding arrhythmia mechanism, origin, and substrate is crucial for managing structural heart disease patients.
- This knowledge may guide future treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.
Background:
Ventricular arrhythmias in the absence of structural heart disease are commonly referred to as "idiopathic." Patients with structural heart disease have ventricular arrhythmias with the same mechanisms and sites of origin as idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias, but the prevalence of such arrhythmias is not well defined.
Objectives:
To identify the prevalence of nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias unrelated to abnormal myocardial substrate in patients with structural heart disease and to compare these arrhythmias to ventricular arrhythmias in patients with structurally normal hearts.
Methods:
Of 249 consecutive patients referred for ablation of ventricular arrhythmias, 97 (39%) patients had nonreentrant arrhythmias unrelated to underlying structural heart disease. Fifty-five (57%) patients had structurally normal hearts, and 42 (43%) had underlying structural heart disease.
Results:
Compared with patients with structurally normal hearts, patients with structural heart disease were more likely to have nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias unrelated to underlying abnormal myocardial substrate originating from the aortic cusps and left ventricular outflow tract whereas patients without structural heart disease more often had arrhythmias originating from the right ventricular outflow tract. There was a significant increase in the average left ventricular ejection fraction after ablation in patients with structural heart disease.
Conclusion:
Nonreentrant ventricular arrhythmias unrelated to abnormal myocardial substrate are common in patients with structural heart disease, and sites of origin differ from those seen in patients with structurally normal hearts. When managing structural heart disease in patients with ventricular arrhythmias, a focus on arrhythmia mechanism, origin, and relationship to underlying myocardial substrate may have important implications for future treatment options and patient outcomes.
More Related Videos
06:57Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction
Published on: January 31, 2019
07:56A Model of Long-Term Ventricular Fibrillation in Isolated Rat Hearts
Published on: February 17, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Disturbances in Heart Rhythm
Arrhythmias are categorized by their speed, rhythm, and origin. A slow heart...
Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Dysrhythmias II: Classification of Tachyarrhythmias
Dysrhythmias IV: Characteristics of Bradyarrhythmias
Dysrhythmias III: Characteristics of Dysrhythmias