Cardiac electrophysiology

Cardiac electrophysiology is not a single molecule or receptor but rather a *branch* of cardiology and basic science that studies the electrical properties and activities governing the heartbeat. It encompasses both clinical practice—such as diagnosing and treating arrhythmias through procedures like ablation—and research into how electrical signals are generated and propagated within the myocardium. Specialists in this field are called cardiac electrophysiologists. The discipline involves diagnostic tests like invasive EP studies to map abnormal rhythms and therapeutic interventions including antiarrhythmic drug therapy, pacemaker/defibrillator implantation, ablation techniques using heat/cold/electrical pulses to destroy aberrant pathways causing arrhythmias. Cardiac electrophysiology is central to understanding diseases like atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia but does not refer to any specific molecular entity; rather it covers all aspects related to the heart’s electrical system.

Other names

Cardiac EPElectrophysiology of the heartClinical cardiac electrophysiology

Modulation/blockade of ion channels to alter electrical conduction and refractoriness in cardiac tissue\nRestoration or maintenance of normal sinus rhythm