Clinical cardiac electrophysiology - An overview

Abstract

Clinical cardiac electrophysiology is a subspecialty of cardiology dealing with the evaluation and management of patients with complex rhythm or conduction abnormalities. In the last four decades, clinical cardiac electrophysiology has evolved into an established discipline credited with improving and saving hundreds of thousands of lives. We briefly review the basic electrophysiologic principles, anatomy of the electric system of the heart, mechanism of arrhythmias, genetical predisposition to arrhythmias, types of arrhythmias, diagnostic electrophysiologic studies, and pharmacologic and device therapies available for the treatment of different types of arrhythmias. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.