Sudden coronary death: pharmacological interventions for the prevention of ventricular fibrillation

Sudden corona O, death b~ patients with coronary am'rr dLw~,,e remmns . malor medical problem it; most indmtnalized natum.~ and in most i~s+tam-(,~ i~ +~.w~<'iated with the unexpected development of ventricuhtr fibrillation. De.wite the development oft new anti-arrhythmic drugs, flea, ifl any. are suitahh" for long-term prophyhictw application and none were developed spec~caUy .for tlw prerentum o.f vemncular fibrillation. This article discusses the importmwe oft the predmical phase of drug development in an attempt to flocus on those electrophysiologicai mechan[~nts which superimpo'e upon a wdnerable mvocardium thus leading to, the onset o] ledtM arrhythmias, it is agab~st this background that potentially usehd pharma( oh~gical inten,entions must be as~ssed ifl specific therapy for die prevention ot sudden coronao, death is to become a reality.