The effect of sympathetic stimulation on ventricular conduction v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Adrenergic modulation of ventricular transmural conduction velocity is a novel factor governing electrical excitability in health and disease.
IRAS ID
272015
Contact name
Rachel C Myles
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
When the heart beats, the cells must contract together in a coordinated fashion. To make this happen, an electrical signal spreads rapidly through the heart wall from cell to cell. During exercise, the heart beats with more force and at a higher rate. These effects are caused by the influence of sympathetic nerves, the nerves which trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response. The sympathetic nerves also increase the speed of the electrical signal, but the mechanism for this and the benefit it gives to the heart is not clear. After a person has a heart attack, they are more likely to get abnormal heart rhythms, which can be fatal. The speed of the electrical signal is important, as slowly propagating signals are more likely to become unstable and trigger abnormal heart rhythms. We know that both the heart’s response to exercise and the speed of the electrical signal are changed after heart attacks, but we don’t know how they contribute to abnormal rhythms. This study will record the speed of the electrical signal in patients’ hearts. We will take additional measurements of the conduction speed in patients who are having electrical measurements made inside their hearts as part of a planned clinical procedure. The drug isoproterenol (ISO) is used routinely during the clinical procedure and mimics the effect of the sympathetic nerves. Conduction speed will be measured both before, during and after administration of ISO. This will not change the clinical procedure and the research study will not require further involvement of the patients. These measurements are important, because they will confirm that these effects are seen in the human heart, and will aid in understanding the factors that modulate electrical conduction. This can help us develop new drugs or understand why some treatments only work for some people.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SC/0372
Date of REC Opinion
5 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion