A concise and practical tool for learning the basic concepts of cardiac electrophysiology, including the diagnosis and management of cardiac arrhythmias, and the indications for patient referral.

Clinically oriented, practical and a useful resource for:

• Allied health professionals in the lab and in the clinic
• Fellows
• The general physician who needs to know the technical aspects of electrophysiology
• Anyone on the front line dealing with patients that present with cardiac problems

Electrophysiology for Clinicians is a superb distillation of the field for clinicians. Authored by leaders in the field, led from the Montreal Heart Institute, it is a clear and concise text emphasizing clinically valuable insights and providing their pathophysiologic basis. Overviews of the fundamentals of arrhythmias and therapies provide the clinician with the necessary foundation for incorporation and retention of new advances into their knowledge base. This book is of great value to health care providers who care for patients with cardiac arrhythmias.

- William G. Stevenson, MD

From the preface:

Electrophysiology for Clinicians unravels the complexities inherent to cardiac electrophysiology, with a focus on diagnosis and management of cardiac arrhythmias and indications for patient referral. With a standardized chapter outline approach that includes key points, color figures, charts, and tables, this handy guide will help demystify the essentials of cardiac electrophysiology for the practicing caregiver.

PART 1: BASIC CONCEPTS

Chapter 1 Basic Cardiac Electrophysiology
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Stanley Nattel
I. The Electrical System of the Heart
II. Ion Mechanisms of the Cardiac Action Potential
III. Regulation of Ionic Permeabilities

Chapter 2 Antiarrhythmic Drugs
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Stanley Nattel
I. General Principles
II. Specific Antiarrhythmic Drugs
III. Proarrhythmia

PART 2: DISORDERS OF IMPULSE FORMATION AND CONDUCTION

Chapter 3 Sinoatrial Node Disorders
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Mario Talajic
I. General Principles
II. Specific Entities
III. Diagnostics for Sinoatrial Node Disorders
IV. Therapy
V. Cardiology Evaluation

Chapter 4 Atrioventricular Conduction Disorders
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Mario Talajic
I. General Principles
II. First-Degree AV Block
III. Second-Degree AV Block
IV. 2:1 AV Block
V. Third-Degree AV Block
VI. AV Dissociation
VII. Fascicular Blocks

PART 3: SYNCOPE, SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH, AND CLINICAL ARRHYTHMIAS

Chapter 5 Syncope
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Peter Guerra
I. General Principles
II. Mechanisms
III. Clinical History
IV. Physical Examination
V. Diagnosis
VI. Therapy
VII. Cardiology Evaluation

Chapter 6 Sudden Cardiac Death
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Laurent Macle
I. General Principles
II. Mechanisms
III. Clinical History
IV. Physical Examination
V. Diagnosis
VI. Therapy
VII. Diseases with Increased Risk of Arrhythmic SCD

Chapter 7 Atrial Fibrillation
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Marc Dubuc
I. General Principles
II. Mechanisms
III. Clinical History
IV. Physical Examination
V. Diagnosis
VI. Therapy
VII. Primary Prevention
VIII. Cardiology Evaluation

Chapter 8 Atrial Flutter
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Lena Rivard
I. Types of Atrial Flutter
II. Atypical Atrial Flutter

Chapter 9 Supraventricular Arrhythmias
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Laurent Macle
I. General Principles
II. Premature Supraventricular Contractions
III. Atrial Tachycardia
IV. Junctional Tachycardia
V. Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia
VI. Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia
VII. Short PR Syndrome

Chapter 10 Ventricular Arrhythmias
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Mario Talajic
I. General Principles
II. Premature Ventricular Contraction
III. Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm
IV. Ventricular Tachycardia
V. Bidirectional VT
VI. Bundle Branch Reentry VT
VII. Ventricular Flutter
VIII. Ventricular Fibrillation

PART 4: PACEMAKERS, DEFIBRILLATORS, AND TECHNIQUES

Chapter 11 Permanent Pacing
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Bernard Thibault
I. General Principles
II. Pacing Codes and Modes
III. Principles of Pacemaker Implantation and Follow-up
IV. Basic Programming
V. Pacemaker Complications and Troubleshooting
VI. Physiologic Pacing
VII. Biventricular Pacing in Systolic Heart Failure

Chapter 12 Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Bernard Thibault
I. General Principles
II. Basic Programming
III. Principles of ICD Implantation and Follow-up
IV. ICD Complications and Troubleshooting
V. Adjunctive Therapy with ICDs

Chapter 13 Selected Techniques and Interventions
Miguel A. Barrero Garcia and Paul Khairy
I. Electrophysiological Study
II. Temporary Pacing
III. Electric Cardioversion
IV. External Defibrillation
V. Carotid Sinus Massage
VI. Tilt Table Testing
VII. Autonomic Testing (other than TTT)
VIII. Signal-averaged ECG
IX. T-Wave Alternans Testing
X. Anticoagulation in EP

Miguel A. Barrero Garcia, MD, Centre Hospitalier Regional de Trois Rivieres, Quebec

Laurent Macle, MD; Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Canada; Université de Montréal

Paul Khairy, MD, PhD, FRCP(c); Canada Research Chair, Electrophysiology and Adult Congenital Heart Disease; Director, Adult Congenital Heart Centre, Montreal Heart Institute; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Montreal; Research Director, Boston Adult Cong

Stanley Nattel, MD, Professor of Medicine and Paul-David Chair in Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, University of Montreal; Cardiologist and Director of Electrophysiology Research Program, Montreal Heart Institute