Cardiac arrhythmia is a complex problem in modern cardiology concerning million of patients worldwide. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly diagnosed form of arrhythmia leading to increased risk of stroke and mortality, while ventricular arrhythmias, including ventricular fibrillation (VF), are suspected to cause more than 80% of sudden cardiac death. Recent studies suggest that inflammation and fibrosis may play a crucial role in the development and aggravation of AF and VF. Although actual treatments include therapeutic strategies such as antiarrhythmic medications, cardioversion, catheter ablation, implantable devices, of maze procedure, AF and VF incidence remain elevated. In the interest of patients, it is indispensable to propose novel approaches to understand the underlying structural and functional abnormalities governing the development of arrhythmogenic substrate and the persistence of cardiac arrhythmias.

This Collection aims to provide original insights into the emerging methods and innovative material for the investigation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias, especially ventricular and atrial fibrillation. Emphasis will be given to translational strategies involving animal and human models of ventricular and atrial fibrillation in vitro and/or in vivo. This Methods Collection also offers a multidisciplinary overview of the current research approaches around cardiac arrhythmia, including genomic and proteomic characterization, molecular and cellular analyses, electrophysiological study, Holter monitoring, cardiac optical mapping, echocardiography, histopathology, cardiac imaging and modeling, and surgical techniques.

These peer-reviewed methods have the potential to improve fundamental research and clinical practice in the management of cardiac arrhythmias including ventricular and atrial fibrillation.