# Prevention and Treatment of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias

> **NIH NIH R01** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2020 · $506,716

## Abstract

Project Summary
The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is the most effective means of detecting and treating
arrhythmias, such as ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF). However, the main limitation of
the current ICD technology is that it aims to terminate an arrhythmia only after the arrhythmia has started.
Given that failure, delay or false decision in detecting VT/VF are life-threatening concerns, the next generation
of ICD technology should be able to prevent arrhythmias from starting, rather than terminating them after their
initiation. Repolarization alternans (RA), a pattern of variation in the shape of electrocardiographic waveform
that appears on an every other beat basis, has been associated with increased vulnerability to VT/VF and
sudden cardiac death (SCD). In this paradigm shift grant application we propose to investigate the hypothesis
that therapy application by an ICD before the abnormal heart rhythm develops will provide a significant
improvement not only in preventing SCD, but also in patient acceptance of ICD therapy and quality of life. We
have developed a prototype system that can both estimate RA in real-time from intracardiac electrograms and
deliver electrical pulses that are timely coupled to cardiac electrical activity. In this proposal we will investigate
the applicability of RA-triggered delivery of clinically appropriate electrical therapy to suppress/terminate RA
and prevent the development of VT/VF in an animal model of ischemic cardiomyopathy in ambulatory animals.
To achieve the aims of this proposal we will (i) determine the efficacy of timely delivered pacing pulses in
reducing/suppressing repolarization alternans and preventing the onset of ventricular tachyarrhythmias; (ii)
determine whether altered heart rate variability reduces/suppresses repolarization alternans and prevents the
onset of ventricular tachyarrhythmias; (iii) determine whether RA-triggered therapy can reduce/suppress
repolarization alternans and prevent the onset of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in ambulatory animals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9869029
- **Project number:** 5R01HL135335-04
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** ANTONIS A ARMOUNDAS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $506,716
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-12-20 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9869029

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9869029, Prevention and Treatment of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias (5R01HL135335-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9869029. Licensed CC0.

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