The BC Children’s Hospital Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP) Research Program led by Dr. Shubhayan Sanatani continues to drive and collaborate on research initiatives with an overall goal to improve the lives of pediatric patients with abnormal and inherited heart rhythm conditions.
The research focus of the Program is Sudden Unexpected Death in the Young (SUDY), Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) and the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The BC Children’s Cardiac EP Program has continued to lead and make progress on a study of pediatric patients with Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT), an inherited heart rhythm disorder that causes sudden unexpected death (SUD) in young, apparently healthy individuals. By combining detailed health information with a patient’s genetic profile in an international pediatric CPVT registry, we aim to help develop more effective and personalized treatments. Further, this registry will support future research in areas such as novel CPVT gene discovery and therapeutics. These studies will ultimately decrease cardiac events and sudden death related to CPVT.
In addition to SUDY, our SVT research aims to improve the treatment and outcomes of pediatric patients with SVT. Further, we are deepening our understanding of the ANS in cardiovascular control. More effective methods of diagnosing patients who present to the emergency with syncope, which is thought to be due to a dysfunctional ANS, remains a challenge. Examining the role of the ANS in inherited arrhythmias may lead to potential identification of novel disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for inherited heart rhythm disorders.
Research areas:
- Sudden unexpected death in the young (SUDY)
- Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
- Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)