A truly new view from the summit: from translational science to outcomes research in clinical arrhythmology

Excerpt

A new year brings invariably reflections of past achievements and some peering into the future. This year, the Journal begins its 13th year with a new look. The new cover dwells, perhaps very briefly, on the long journey of clinical cardiac arrhythmology, but mostly symbolizes a truly new vision of the future of our field. We have come far from the diagnostic recording science of our pioneering early teachers. Only 20 years ago, we were actually searching for acceptable terminology to describe defibrillation therapy among ourselves and the term implantable cardioverter–defibrillator or ICD was first proposed [1]. Adoption of the term defibrillator into day to day speech occurred within a decade. Today, clinical electrophysiology has assimilated basic and translational science-, medical technology-, and evidence-based medicine with astonishing speed. Arrhythmia courses for the clinical practitioner used to be initiated often with electrocardiographic diagnosis, fundamentals of biostimulation, or clinical pharmacology of antiarrhythmics. Now, there is a very different flavor. We still continue to discuss these core subjects, but mainstream discussions include translational science, genomics, clinical syndromes with interwoven discussions of cellular and clinical electrophysiology, medical and surgical interventions, and invariably consolidate information in an evidence-based approach [2‐5]. Sudden arrhythmic death syndromes now regularly appear in media discussion, with public awareness being driven by lay groups [6, 7]. While individual interventions continually wax and wane in popularity, it is clearer now than ever before that cardiac arrhythmology has found new frontiers for exploration. This journal, as expressed by both cover and content, is committed to bring these to you. …