info@arvd-symposium.org    

Dear Colleagues,

Encouraged by overwhelming success of previous virtual symposia on Brugada Syndrome in 2003 and on Long QT Syndrome in 2004, we will be launching Virtual Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD) Symposium on April 1-15, 2005. This unique educational event will provide you with opportunity to learn about recent developments regarding this rare and underappreciated disorder. Importantly, this congress does not require you to travel; this congress comes directly to your home and office via internet. You can log in at your convenience and participate in the congress by listening to taped lectures with slides projected on your screen, reading relevant papers and updates posted on the symposium website, and by participating in the discussion via e-mail.

ARVD is a rare inherited disorder characterized by a propensity to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death in patients who usually develop structural and functional abnormalities of right ventricle. These abnormalities consist of fibrofatty replacement of myocardial tissue mostly in right ventricle with consequent right ventricular dilation and dysfunction. Patients usually come to the attention of physicians due to palpitations, syncope, or sudden death in a family member. Electrical abnormalities include ECG and SAECG changes, spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias and inducible ventricular tachyarrhythmias. There is evidence for genetic background of the disease with several chromosomal loci and few genes already identified. Substantial diversity of clinical presentation makes this disorder difficult to diagnose and several tests are usually performed to increase likelihood of correct diagnosis and implement treatment, which currently consists of implantation of cardioverter defibrillators.

This disorder was described in 1982 by Dr. Frank Marcus, from Tucson, Arizona, and by Dr. Guy Fontaine from Paris and we are fortunate to have both these pioneers serving as Honorary Presidents of this ARVD Congress. We were successful in attracting leading researchers in the field of ARVD to participate as faculty of this congress. We believe that scientific contribution of these experts representing variety of related fields and bringing their experience from numerous countries will ensure high educational yield of the congress.

Although the congress will start on April 1, 2005, we already are posting on the www.ishne.org preliminary materials about ARVD and we activated automatic Medline-based library focused on ARVD. We also encourage you to visit www.arvd.org and www.arvd.com, websites devoted to this disorder. The congress is free of charge, you just need to register!

Wojciech Zareba, MD
Frank Marcus, MD
Guy Fontaine, MD
Sergio Dubner, MD
Edgardo Schapachnik, MD