Arrhythmias and Heart Rate: Mechanisms and Significance of a Relationship

Antonio Zaza*, Carlotta Ronchi, Gabriella Malfatto

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal(Systematic) Review article peer-review

Abstract

The occurrence of arrhythmia is often related to basic heart rate. Prognostic significance is associated with such a relationship; furthermore, heart rate modulation may result as an ancillary effect of therapy, or be considered as a therapeutic tool. This review discusses the cellular mechanisms underlying arrhythmia occurrence during tachycardia or bradycardia, considering rate changes per se or as a mirror of autonomic modulation. Besides the influence of steady-state heart rate, dynamic aspects of changes in rate and autonomic balance are considered. The discussion leads to the conclusion that the prognostic significance of arrhythmia relationship with heart rate, and the consequence of heart rate on arrhythmogenesis, may vary according to the substrate present in the specific case and should be considered accordingly.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)232-237
Number of pages6
JournalArrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review
Volume7
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Keywords

  • Arrhythmia
  • heart rate
  • autonomic modulation
  • membrane current
  • calcium handling
  • cellular energetics
  • steady-state
  • dynamics
  • TORSADE-DE-POINTES
  • LONG-QT SYNDROME
  • BETA-ADRENERGIC MODULATION
  • VENTRICULAR REPOLARIZATION
  • SARCOPLASMIC-RETICULUM
  • EARLY AFTERDEPOLARIZATIONS
  • RATE DEPENDENCY
  • I-KS
  • CALCIUM
  • BLOCK

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