Executive Director and Director of Research for the Cardiac Research Institute at Masonic Medical Research Laboratory to visit Nice.
New York, Aug 30, 2012 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Charles Antzelevitch, Ph.D., Executive Director and Director of Research for the Cardiac Research Institute at Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (MMRL), headquartered in Utica, New York, was an invited speaker at Cardiostim 2012 in Nice, France. The meeting was held in conjunction with the 19th Annual World Congress on Cardiac Electrophysiology and Cardiac Techniques. These scientific sessions were attended by over 5,500 cardiologists, cardiac electrophysiologists and cardiac researchers from throughout the world. Dr. Antzelevitch has been an invited presenter at the event for nearly two decades.
Three of Antzelevitch's presentations dealt with one of the hottest topics in the area of Cardiac Electrophysiology. J wave syndromes, a term coined by Antzelevitch and colleagues, involve both Brugada and Early Repolarization syndromes. Both are associated with the appearance of prominent J waves in the ECG. Antzelevitch and his colleagues pioneered the understanding of the cellular basis for the J wave of the ECG and its role in health and disease. Their first paper on the subject was published in 1996. In 2000, Antzelevitch and coworkers suggested that an Early Repolarization pattern in the ECG, is not benign as previously thought, but may be associated with life-threatening arrhythmias in some cases. Validation of that hypothesis came eight years later when other investigators demonstrated a link of this pattern in the ECG to sudden arrhythmic death. It is now generally accepted by cardiologists that J wave syndromes are not always benign and can in fact cause sudden cardiac death.
Antzelevitch also presented the MMRL's findings concerning an innovative new treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). The manifestation of AF is due to a fluttering of the upper chambers of the heart caused by abnormal electrical activity. AF affects approximately 2.7 million Americans. This drug combination is in currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, which is a proof of concept trial involving 150 patients with frequent AF. Central New York Cardiology in Utica is one of the recruitment sites for the Phase 2 trials.
The MMRL has gained international renown and wide acclaim in the scientific and medical community as a leading cardiac research center. The hallmark of the institute is its innovative and imaginative approach to fighting heart disease. The MMRL's legacy of scientific breakthroughs has helped to generate new heart medications and develop diagnostic procedures for the management of cardiac arrhythmias, and has aided in the advancement of life-saving technologies. The MMRL is also one of the top genetic screening centers in the world dedicated to helping families afflicted with sudden death syndromes.
Please visit www.mmrl.edu for more information or to arrange a tour or presentation.
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Contact
Media Contacts:
Ronald P. Kamp
Director of Development
and Communications
Myron Thurston III
Assistant Director of Development
and Communications
Cardiac Research Institute
Masonic Medical Research Laboratory
2150 Bleecker Street
Utica, N.Y. 13501
TEL: +1-315-735-2217
www.mmrl.edu
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