Effective identification of patients at increased risk of malignant cardiac arrhythmia presently represents a clinically important unmet need. Existing guidelines for the selection of candidates for the prophylactic implantation of cardioverters-defibrillators (ICD) are based solely on the reduction of ventricular haemodynamic performance. Although this guidance is based on statistical results of previously conducted randomized clinical trials, available experience shows that it does not serve clinical needs efficiently. The majority of patients who are implanted with ICDs for prophylactic reasons never utilize the device during its technical longevity whilst, at the same time, many patients who succumb to sudden cardiac death do not have ventricular haemodynamic performance particularly compromised. Recent results also showed that the previous statistical findings of ICD efficacy are not fully reproducible in patients with non-ischemic heart disease and that the reduction of sudden cardiac death after myocardial infarction by external automatic defibrillation vests is lower than expected. Advances in cardiac electrophysiology are needed for better understanding of the mechanisms that are the basis of different arrhythmic abnormalities. Increased understanding of these mechanisms will allow them to be more effectively classified so that optimum therapeutic options can be offered. Likewise, better understanding of the underlying electrophysiology processes is needed so that novel and more focused randomized clinical trials can be designed. Compared to invasive electrophysiological studies, noninvasive cardiac electrophysiology offers the possibility of screening larger number of patients as well as healthy subjects investigated under different provocations and conditions. To advance the field, broad spectrum of studies is needed together with meta-analyses and reviews facilitating research interactions.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a screening tool called the Listing of Impairments to identify claimants who are so severely impaired that they cannot work at all and thus immediately qualify for benefits. In this report, the IOM makes several recommendations for improving SSA's capacity to determine disability benefits more quickly and efficiently using the Listings.

This issue of Cardiac Electrophysiology Clinics examines Frontiers in Non-invasive Cardiac Mapping. Topics include imaging of heart rhythm disorders, experimental validation and modeling of validation, challenges and future directions of inverse problems, phase mapping of cardiac fibrillation, frequency domain analysis, analysis of diagnostic 12-lead electrocardiography and 3D non-invasive mapping, and many more.

This report considers the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke. Many Surgeon General's reports have considered research findings on mechanisms in assessing the biological plausibility of associations observed in epidemiologic studies. Mechanisms of disease are important because they may provide plausibility, which is one of the guideline criteria for assessing evidence on causation. This report specifically reviews the evidence on the potential mechanisms by which smoking causes diseases and considers whether a mechanism is likely to be operative in the production of human disease by tobacco smoke. This evidence is relevant to understanding how smoking causes disease, to identifying those who may be particularly susceptible, and to assessing the potential risks of tobacco products.

The breadth and range of the topics covered, and the consistent organization of each chapter, give you simple but detailed access to information on anatomy, diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, mapping, and ablation. the book includes a unique section on troubleshooting difficult cases for each arrhythmia, and the use of tables, illustrations, and high-quality figures is unmatched among publications in the field.

The expanded guide to cardiac mapping The effective diagnosis and treatment of heart disease may vitally depend upon accurate and detailed cardiac mapping. However, in an era of rapid technological advancement, medical professionals can encounter difficulties maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of current methods. This fifth edition of the much-admired Cardiac Mapping is, therefore, essential, offering a level of cutting-edge insight that is unmatched in its scope and depth. Featuring contributions from a global team of electrophysiologists, the book builds upon previous editions comprehensive explanations of the mapping, imaging, and ablation of the heart. Nearly 100 chapters provide fascinating accounts of topics ranging from the mapping of supraventricular and ventriculararrhythmias, to compelling extrapolations of how the field might develop in the years to come. In this text, readers will find: Full coverage of all aspects of cardiac mapping, and imaging Explorations of mapping in experimental models of arrhythmias Examples of new catheter-based techniques Access to a companion website featuring additional content and illustrative video clips Cardiac Mapping is an indispensable resource for scientists, clinical electrophysiologists, cardiologists, and all physicians who care for patients with cardiac arrhythmias.