What have we learned about the contribution of autonomic nervous system to human arrhythmia?
Myocardial infarction results in denervation, followed by neural remodeling characterized by nerve sprouting and heterogeneous sympathetic hyperinnervation throughout the myocardium. There is an association between the density of sympathetic nerves and occurrence of cardiac arrhythmia in humans. Autonomic nerve recording in ambulatory dogs showed a close association between autonomic nerve activity and paroxysmal atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Cryoablation of the stellate ganglion prevented paroxysmal atrial tachycardia and atrial fibrillation in canine models. Further studies are needed to determine if these same methods can be used to control atrial arrhythmias in humans.
Ogawa
Masahiro
M
Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
Zhou
Shengmei
S
Tan
Alex Y
AY
Fishbein
Michael C
MC
Lin
Shien-Fong
SF
Chen
Lan S
LS
Chen
Peng-Sheng
PS
D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery