Arrhythmia Management in Chagas' Disease

Chagas' disease, or trypanosomiasis cruzi, is confined mainly to specific areas of South and Central America, and has long been a source of frustration to cardiologists in these regions. This disease ranks third in both prevalence and incidence in Latin America, resulting in 45,000 deaths per year due to cardiopathy, and is a common cause of sudden cardiac death. This text brings together a number of specialist contributors from several South American countries, recognising the need for a unified, co-ordinated approach towards research and treatment of Chagas' disease. The authors provide a concise but complete account of arrhythmias in Chagas' myocardiopathy, and of the improved treatment of these arrhythmias with cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, ablation, and pharmacologic therapy. Pathology, diagnosis, and both invasive and noninvasive treatments are presented, with special emphasis on electrophysiological sequelae and the application of new technologies.