title: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy: an update on pathophysiology, genetics, diagnosis, and risk stratification.
abstract: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited cardiomyopathy accounting for life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias and sudden death in young individuals and athletes. Over the past years, mutations in desmosomal genes have been identified as disease-causative. However, genetic heterogeneity and variable phenotypic expression alongside with diverse disease progression still render the evaluation of its prognostic implication difficult. ARVC was initially entered into the canon of cardiomyopathies of the World Health Organization in 1995, and international efforts have resulted in the 2010 modified diagnostic criteria for ARVC. Despite all additional insights into pathophysiology, clinical management, and modern risk stratification, under-/misdiagnosing of ARVC remains a problem and hampers reliable statements on the incidence, prevalence, and natural course of the disease.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current literature on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of ARVC and sheds some light on potential new developments in these areas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1 (Gebäude A1), 48149, Münster, Germany. Matthias.Paul@ukmuenster.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wichter
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fabritz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waltenberger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schulze-Bahr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kirchhof
mesh_terms: D019571:Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate