Electrophysiology and Pharmacology of Ventricular Repolarization

Repolarization of the ventricular action potential is responsible for the inscription of the T wave and definition of the QT interval in the electrocardiogram (ECG). Repolarization forces play a determining role in the normal function of the myocardium and when defective are often responsible for the development of life-threatening arrhythmias. Thus, our understanding of the electrocardiographic representation of the electrical activity of the heart and appreciation of the mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis requires a fundamental knowledge of the mechanisms of repolarization and the degree to which they differ among the various cell types present within the ventricle of the heart.