BACKGROUND The efficacy of drugs used to treat inducible monomorphic sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) has been assessed by investigating their ability to suppress inducibility, but the mechanism of the drug action remains to be determined. OBJECTIVES To determine electrophysiological variables that predict inducibility, divided doses of class I antiarrhythmic drugs were given and their ...

This month's installment of Generally Physiological considers individualized therapeutic strategies to treat the congenital heart condition long QT syndrome (LQTS), determination of the crystal structure of the Orai calcium channel, and nonsynaptic communication between olfactory receptor neu rons (ORNs) in insect sensilla. Defining individualized therapeutic strategies for channelopathies Muta...

Erythromelalgia is a rare, chronic, debilitating condition characterized by redness, warmth, and severe burning pain of the distal extremities. The feet are more commonly affected than the hands. Pain is precipitated by increases in temperature and by exercise. Patients often obtain relief by immersing the affected extremity in cold water. The pain is often refractory to treatment. For many pat...