title: The molecular basis of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Cardiac arrhythmias are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Western society. In some specific instances, these arrhythmias are caused by abnormalities of cardiac ion channels, such as sodium, calcium, and potassium channels, which carry ionic currents and are fundamental determinants of cardiac excitability. Abnormalities of these ion channels are attributed to mutations in the genes encoding the channel protein and cause altered function of channels, which can predispose to arrhythmias. During heart failure, many channels also malfunction because of altered expression, resulting in lethal arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, 47-123 CHS, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cesario
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valderrabano
authors.forename: Kalyanam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shivkumar
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008967:Molecular Biology; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D015222:Sodium Channels