New approaches to antiarrhythmic therapy - Emerging therapeutic applications of the cell biology of cardiac arrhythmias

Cardiac arrhythmias complicate many diseases affecting the heart and the ci rculation. and incorporate a multiplicity of underlying mechanisms. The evo lution of scientific knowledge has made the complex changes produced by car diovascular disease sufficiently understood at the organ, cellular. and mol ecular levels such that there is a diversity of therapeutic targets for pha rmacological therapy and/or prevention. Moreover, the approach of rational drug design, in mechanism- and disease-specific fashion. facilitates target ing of therapy via molecular, structural and translational biology. Additio nal approaches, employing similar drug-design strategies but based on gene therapy and transcriptional and translational modification are on the horiz on. Hence, there is reason to be optimistic regarding the design, testing a nd clinical availability of novel antiarrhythmic therapies. (C) 2001 The Eu ropean Society of Cardiology.