%A Christian E. Zaugg
%J Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal
%T Current concepts on ventricular fibrillation: A Vicious Circle of Cardiomyocyte Calcium Overload in the Initiation, Maintenance, and Termination of Ventricular Fibrillation

%X Based on recent experimental studies, this review article introduces the novel concept that  cardiomyocyte Ca2+ and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are mutually related, forming a self-maintaining  vicious circle in the initiation, maintenance, and termination of VF. On the one hand, elevated myocyte Ca2+ can cause delayed afterdepolarizations, triggered activity, and consequently life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias in various pathological conditions such as digitalis toxicity, myocardial ischemia, or heart failure. On the other hand, VF itself directly and rapidly causes progressive myocyte Ca2+ overload that maintains VF and renders termination of VF increasingly difficult. Accordingly, energy levels for successful electrical defibrillation (defibrillation thresholds) increase as both VF and Ca2+ overload progress. Furthermore, VF-induced myocyte Ca2+ overload can promote re-induction of VF after defibrillation and/or postfibrillatory myocardial dysfunction (postresuscitation stunning) due to reduced myofilament Ca2+ responsiveness. The probability of these adverse events is best reduced by early detection and rapid termination of VF to prevent or limit Ca2+ overload. Early additional therapy targeting transsarcolemmal Ca2+ entry, particularly during the first 2 min of VF, may partially prevent myocyte Ca2+ overload and thus, increase the likelihood of successful defibrillation as well as prevent postfibrillatory myocardial dysfunction.

%N 2
%K calcium overload ? ventricular fibrillation - defibrillation - myocardial stunning

%P 85-92
%E Balbir Singh
%E Yash Lokhandwala
%E Johnson Francis
%E Anup Gupta
%V 4
%D 2004
%I Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Group
%L cogprints4232

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