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Catheter Ablation of Cardiac Arrhythmias

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Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices

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Abstract

The range of the resting sinus heart rate is 50–90 beats per minute (bpm); most average healthy individuals have resting rates in the 60–70 bpm range. Bradycardia (slow heart beat) is arbitrarily defined as any heart rate <60 bpm, and tachycardia (fast heart beat) as any rate >100 bpm. Disturbances of cardiac impulse formation and/or transmission comprise the principal mechanisms causing abnormalities of heart rhythm. In basic terms, these are classified as being either brady- or tachy-arrhythmias. The primary goals for treatment of arrhythmias are: (1) to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life and; (2) to prolong patient survival. Pharmacologic treatment has been the mainstay for management of most cardiac arrhythmias, although implantable devices and ablation have become increasingly important. In recent years, nonpharmacologic therapy has begun to play an increasingly important role in curing many arrhythmias (catheter ablation) and preventing their life-threatening consequences (implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy for both primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, Department of Medicine, MMC 508, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Xiao-Huan Li & Fei Lü

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  1. Xiao-Huan Li
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  2. Fei Lü
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Correspondence to Fei Lü .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Surgery, University of Minnesota, Delaware St. SE., 420, Minneapolis, 55455, U.S.A.

    Paul A. Iaizzo

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Li, XH., Lü, F. (2009). Catheter Ablation of Cardiac Arrhythmias. In: Iaizzo, P. (eds) Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-372-5_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-372-5_26

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60327-371-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60327-372-5

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