Electricity and the Heart: From Leyden's Jar to Pacemakers and Catheter Ablation

This book is designed to elucidate the evolution of understanding of the heart's electrical system, spanning the discovery of its anatomical structures to subsequent developments in implantable devices and three-dimensional imaging technologies. The ability to "look to the future" on future developments in cardiology is dependent upon a complete understanding of historical events. This book attempts to synthesize historical insights to understand the present and predict the future of electricity utilization in cardiology, while combining knowledge and tools, as well as financial constraints and medical wisdom. This book illustrates our significant advancements in the field of cardiac electrophysiology. The story illustrates the significant advancements and successes in comprehending the heart's intrinsic electrical activity and how a physician could control it to terminate life-threatening arrhythmias. Understanding the history of electricity is crucial for understanding cardiac arrhythmia, both in terms of clinical diagnosis of the arrhythmia type and in terms of the best therapeutic options. Understanding history means accepting that certain research has been conducted prior to yours, and you may be unaware of the findings of your predecessors. It is pointless to repeat past errors; yet, understanding the electricity allows you to progress from the previous level to better treatment.