The year in review of clinical cardiac electrophysiology

Abstract

This past year saw multiple important advances in the field clinical cardiac electrophysiology. Seminal articles describing new anticoagulant drugs for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation were published. New results that raise questions regarding the safety of dronedarone and several new promising techniques in AF ablation were described. Important articles that refine our understanding of the risk of sudden death among Wolff-Parkinson-White patients were published. In the basic and translational sciences, the application of gene therapy to the study and potential treatment of arrhythmias was described, whereas genetic determinants important to the optimal treatment of inherited arrhythmia syndromes were further elucidated. Issues relevant to cardiac rhythm device therapy included investigations into the St. Jude Riata lead, new applications of device monitoring, predicting response to cardiac resynchronization therapy, and the use of pacemakers for vasovagal syncope.