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In this Supplement of the "Giornale Italiano di
Cardiologia" we publish the Proceedings of the 13th International Congress "The
New Frontiers of Arrhythmias 1998". The Congress is under the auspices of the Working
Group on Cardiac Pacing of the European Society of Cardiology.
The Congress traditionally takes place every two years, during the last week of
January, in Marilleva 1400, a lovely winter resort in "Val di Sole", Trentino
(Italy).
This Volume of the Proceedings joins the previous four Books on The "New
Frontiers" of Arrhythmias 1974/76, 1978, 1980, 1982 published in Italian by Massimo
Piccin of Padua. After that since the 6th International Congress in 1984, the Proceedings
were published, in English, available at the beginning of the Congress: by O.I.C. Medical
Press in 1984, in special Issues of "New Trends of Arrhythmias" in 1986, 1988,
1990, 1992, 1994, 1996.
In this Proceedings 1998, the papers are collected in seven Symposia and in fourty-six
Round Tables. These Round Tables consist of contributions by invited preeminent Speakers
who chose their own "frontiers" topic, and of abstracts which were revised and
accepted by an International Committee of Referees.
All efforts were made by the Publishers to print the maximum number of the several
papers that arrived after the deadline without the possibility of a thoroughly
text-revision. I personally have to apologize with the Readers for possible imprecisions
and errors, if any, present in this Volume.
The "New Frontiers" of Arrhythmias is traditionally an up to date on new
developments and future perspectives in all fields of experimental and clinical
arrhythmology. With the cooperation of both the invited and accepted Speakers at "New
Frontiers" 1998, probably we have achieved these ambitious aims of the Congress. In
fact the Proceedings include news and discussions on almost all the leading and most
advanced areas of arrhythmology. Several topics are related to Basic Science, like
Electrophysiology, Pharmacologic Action, Structure - anatomy and pathology -, Biophysics
and Biomathematics. There are chapters on Epidemiology, Statistical Analysis and Economic
Impact of Cardiac Arrhythmias, Clinical Trials, Clinical Arrhythmology and Pharmacological
Treatment of Arrhythmias including presentation of New Drugs.
A large discussion is devoted to Invasive Electrophysiological
Investigation, RF Catheter Ablation and particulary on new exciting Electro-anatomical
Mapping, non-fluoroscopic included. Chapters are related to the progress in Cardiac
Pacing, ICD implantation and complications and in Atrial Defibrillation. There are reports
on Cardiac Arrhythmias in Pediatrics, Cardiac Surgery, Heart Failure, Coronary Artery
Disease, Cardiomyopathies, Hypertension, Sudden Death, Heart Transplantation, Congenital
Heart Disease, Athletes and Young People.
Finally particular important arrhythmias like Atrial Fibrillation and
Atrial Flutter, Venticular Tachycaardias and Long QT Syndrome are dealt with.
The extraordinary progresses in arrhythmic science are assuring better
results in the clinical treatment of many types of arrhythmias and in prevention of
Cardiac Mortality and Sudden Death with a conserved acceptable quality of life for the
patients.
I'd like to thank all the Contributors for the "New
Frontiers" - Marilleva Congress 1998, the Co-Editors, the Referees and all the
friends of Executive Committee, International Committee included. Finally I thank the
Publishers of "Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia" that worked vernally I thank
the Publishers of "Giornale Italiano di Cardiologia" that worked very hard to
publish this Book on time to be presented at the Congress.
Francesco Furlanello
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