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Related Concept Videos

Disturbances in Heart Rhythm01:28

Disturbances in Heart Rhythm

945
Arrhythmia or dysrhythmia refers to an abnormal heart rhythm caused by a defect in the heart's conduction system. It can cause the heart to beat irregularly, too quickly, or too slowly, leading to symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and fainting. Factors such as stress, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, certain drugs, congenital defects, diseases, and electrolyte abnormalities can trigger arrhythmias.
Arrhythmias are categorized by their speed, rhythm, and origin. A slow...
945
Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias01:28

Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias

917
Arrhythmias are irregular heart rhythms occurring when the heart's electrical impulses become abnormal. These disturbances can lead to various symptoms, depending on their severity and the underlying cause. Some common factors contributing to arrhythmias include hypoxia, ischemia, electrolyte imbalances, excessive catecholamine exposure, drug toxicity, and muscle overstretching. Arrhythmias can be classified into two main types based on the rate and site of origin of abnormal heart rhythms.
917
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers01:12

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers

980
Class III antiarrhythmic drugs are a group of medications that can prolong action potentials in the heart. They achieve this by blocking potassium channels or enhancing inward currents from sodium channels. However, these drugs have a unique property of "reverse use-dependence," which is most pronounced at slower heart rates and can lead to torsades de pointes—a specific type of arrhythmia. However, it is essential to note that excessive QT interval prolongation—a measure of...
980
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers01:20

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers

832
Class IV antiarrhythmic drugs, such as verapamil and diltiazem, block calcium channels. They primarily affect the heart, slowing the conduction in calcium-dependent tissues like the SA and AV nodes. These drugs manage reentrant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and reduce ventricular rate in atrial flutter/fibrillation.
Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, inhibits calcium movement across myocardial cell membranes and vascular smooth muscle. This results in the dilation of coronary and...
832
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers01:24

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers

741
Adrenergic stimulation generally impacts cardiac rate and rhythm. Specifically, stimulation of the β-adrenoceptors triggers an increase in intracellular calcium ion influx and pacemaker currents, which may cause arrhythmias. Catecholamines like adrenaline also demonstrate β2-adrenoceptor-mediated hypokalemia, impacting cardiac action potential and disrupting the normal cardiac rhythm. Class II antiarrhythmic drugs are β-adrenoceptor antagonists or β-blockers, which...
741
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers01:22

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

1.4K
Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat various types of arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms. These drugs block the sodium (Na+) channels in the cardiac cells, thereby affecting the movement of electrical impulses across the heart. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are divided into three subgroups: Class IA, Class IB, and Class IC, each with distinct mechanisms of action and effects on the heart.
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2025

Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction
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Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction

Published on: January 31, 2019

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Radiation therapy for ventricular arrhythmias.

Xingzhou Liulu1, Poornima Balaji2,3, Jeffrey Barber4,5

  • 1Cardiology Department, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology
|May 3, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Stereotactic body radiotherapy offers a non-invasive approach to treat life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (VA) when catheter ablation fails. This novel modality overcomes limitations of traditional treatments by delivering energy to previously unreachable areas, showing promise in clinical trials.

Keywords:
ablationnon‐invasiveradiosurgerystereotactic body radiation therapyventricular arrhythmias

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Advanced Cardiac Rhythm Management by Applying Optogenetic Multi-Site Photostimulation in Murine Hearts
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Advanced Cardiac Rhythm Management by Applying Optogenetic Multi-Site Photostimulation in Murine Hearts

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Robotic Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
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Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction
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Ablation of Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Multipolar Catheter and 3-dimensional Mapping System for High-density Electro-anatomical Reconstruction

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Advanced Cardiac Rhythm Management by Applying Optogenetic Multi-Site Photostimulation in Murine Hearts
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Advanced Cardiac Rhythm Management by Applying Optogenetic Multi-Site Photostimulation in Murine Hearts

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Robotic Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
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Robotic Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: May 29, 2015

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Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Medical Physics

Background:

  • Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) are serious heart rhythm disorders linked to high morbidity and mortality.
  • Catheter ablation (CA) is an invasive option for refractory VA, but recurrence is common due to limitations in lesion depth and reach.
  • Existing treatments struggle to address deep or scarred cardiac tissue driving VA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current evidence for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as a treatment for ventricular arrhythmias.
  • To evaluate SBRT's potential to overcome the limitations of catheter ablation in treating refractory VA.
  • To outline the necessary steps for integrating SBRT into mainstream VA treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing clinical trials and literature on SBRT for VA.
  • Analysis of SBRT's mechanism of action in ablating cardiac electrical circuits.
  • Comparison of SBRT's efficacy and safety profile against conventional treatments.

Main Results:

  • SBRT has shown success in small clinical trials for treating refractory VA.
  • The non-invasive nature of SBRT allows volumetric energy delivery to target inaccessible arrhythmogenic areas.
  • SBRT addresses the limitations of CA, particularly in cases of deep-seated or scar-related arrhythmias.

Conclusions:

  • Stereotactic body radiotherapy is a promising novel treatment for ventricular arrhythmias.
  • SBRT offers a non-invasive alternative that overcomes key limitations of catheter ablation.
  • Further steps are needed to establish SBRT as a frontline therapy for refractory VA.