Program Summary

Dr. Warren M. Jackman discussed the intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system (AND), both parasympathetic and sympathetic, and its influence on triggering paroxysms of atrial fibrillation. The ANS contribution to the maintenance and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation is less understood and there is controversy regarding its role in persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation. Dr. Jackman describes data from animal studies supporting a role of the ANS in the maintenance of atriail fibrillation in a canine model. Dr. Sunny S. Po and Dr. Robert Lemery offer comments on this data.

Target Audience

This program is intended for a professional audience.

• Cardiac electrophysiologists
• Cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology fellows
• Cardiac surgeons
• Other cardiologists and radiologists

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this educational activity, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish the anatomic relation of each of the intrinsic ANS ganglionic plexi to pulmonary venous structures.
  
• Explain data supporting a functional relationship between these ganglionic plexus.
  
• Predict the likely effects of destruction of these relationships to the sustenance of atrial fibrillation.
• Differentiate intrinsic from central vagal effects on AF.
  

Faculty

Warren M. Jackman, MD, FHRS
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, OK

Sunny S. Po, MD, PhD
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, OK

Robert Lemery, MD, FHRS
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
Nepean, ON, Canada

Author

Michael Belz, MD
Group Health Cooperative
Seattle, WA

Accreditation

The Heart Rhythm Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

The Heart Rhythm Society designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The AMA has determined that physicians not licensed in the USA who participate in this CME activity are eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM.

Continuing Education (CE) for Nurses

The Heart Rhythm Society is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the New York State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

It has been assigned code 7M7R3X-PRV-09-04.

A maximum of 1.0 credit hours are available for this educational activity.

View Webcast

Ablation of Persistent AF: Role of GP and Other Neural Ablation

Commentary by Sunny S. Po, MD, PhD

Commentary by Robert Lemery, MD, FHRS

Required Hardware and Software 

• Computer Screen with USB Drive Screen resolution of 1024x786 or larger
  
• Sound card and speakers/headphones
  
• Operating System Requirement: Windows Vista; Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows 7 Intel® Pentium® III 450MHz or faster processor (or equivalent) 128MB or RAM Mac OS Apple Mac OS X 10.4.8 or above Intel Core TM Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor 128MB of RAM Plug-in
  

Supported by an educational grant from: