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Background-T-wave alternans, which is associated with the genesis of cardiac fibrillation, has recently been related to discordant action potential duration (APD) alternans. However, the cellular electrophysiological mechanisms responsible for discordant alternans are poorly understood. Methods and Results-We simulated a 2D sheet of cardiac tissue using phase 1 of the Luo-Rudy cardiac action potential model. A steep (slope Ͼ1) APD restitution curve promoted concordant APD alternans and T-wave alternans without QRS alternans. When pacing was from a single site, discordant APD alternans occurred only when the pacing rate was fast enough to engage conduction velocity (CV) restitution, producing both QRS and T-wave alternans. Tissue heterogeneity was not required for this effect. Discordant alternans markedly increases dispersion of refractoriness and increases the ability of a premature stimulus to cause localized wavebreak and induce reentry. In the absence of steep APD restitution and of CV restitution, sustained discordant alternans did not occur, but reentry could be induced if there was marked electrophysiological heterogeneity. Both discordant APD alternans and preexisting APD heterogeneity facilitate reentry by causing the waveback to propagate slowly. Conclusion-Discordant alternans arises dynamically from APD and CV restitution properties and markedly increases dispersion of refractoriness. Preexisting and dynamically induced (via restitution) dispersion of refractoriness independently increase vulnerability to reentrant arrhythmias. Reduction of dynamically induced dispersion by appropriate alteration of electrical restitution has promise as an antiarrhythmic strategy. (Circulation.

AF 5 atrial fibrillation; LOE 5 Level of Evidence; HCM 5 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. **A decision to perform AF ablation in an asymptomatic patient requires additional discussion with the patient because the potential benefits of the procedure for the patient without symptoms are uncertain.

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Rationale Fibrillation-defibrillation episodes in failing ventricles may be followed by action potential duration (APD) shortening and recurrent spontaneous ventricular fibrillation (SVF). Objective We hypothesized that activation of apamin-sensitive small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels are responsible for the postshock APD shortening in failing ventricles. Methods and Results A rabbit model of tachycardia-induced heart failure was used. Simultaneous optical mapping of intracellular Ca2+ and membrane potential (Vm) was performed in failing and non-failing ventricles. Three failing ventricles developed SVF (SVF group), 9 did not (no-SVF group). None of the 10 non-failing ventricles developed SVF. Increased pacing rate and duration augmented the magnitude of APD shortening. Apamin (1 μmol/L) eliminated recurrent SVF, increased postshock APD80 in SVF group from 126±5 ms to 153±4 ms (p<0.05), in no-SVF group from147±2 ms to 162±3 ms (p<0.05) but did not change of APD80 in non-failing group. Whole cell patch-clamp studies at 36°C showed that the apamin-sensitive K+ current (IKAS) density was significantly larger in the failing than in the normal ventricular epicardial myocytes, and epicardial IKAS density is significantly higher than midmyocardial and endocardial myocytes. Steady-state Ca2+ response of IKAS was leftward-shifted in the failing cells compared with the normal control cells, indicating increased Ca2+ sensitivity of IKAS in failing ventricles. The Kd was 232 ± 5 nM for failing myocytes and 553 ± 78 nM for normal myocytes (p = 0.002). Conclusions Heart failure heterogeneously increases the sensitivity of IKAS to intracellular Ca2+, leading to upregulation of IKAS, postshock APD shortening and recurrent SVF.