PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Zipes, Douglas P.
TI  - Heart-brain interactions in cardiac arrhythmias: Role of the autonomic nervous system
DP  - 2008 Mar 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - S94--S96
VI  - 75
IP  - 3 suppl 2
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/3_suppl_2/S94.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/75/3_suppl_2/S94.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2008 Mar 01; 75
AB  - The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the genesis of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Evidence is substantial for a neural component in sudden cardiac death. Sympathetic nerve sprouting and regional myocardial hyperinnervation following myocardial injury promote cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death through several potential mechanisms. Modulating autonomic tone is a potential method to reduce the risk of ventricular arrhythmias. Thoracic spinal cord stimulation is showing promise as a treatment for refractory angina. In addition, spinal cord stimulation has protected against ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation in animal models of postinfarction heart failure.