JCS/JHRS 2019 Guideline on Non-Pharmacotherapy of Cardiac Arrhythmias

1 Current status of non‐pharmacotherapies in Japan Pacemaker treatment for bradyarrhythmia was first approved for national health insurance coverage in Japan in 1974, and its use rapidly became widespread thereafter. Approximately 40 years later, in 2017, the number of patients treated with this technology has increased to 60 137 (41 895 new cases and approximately 18 242 replacements). 5 Capsule‐shaped leadless pacemaker also became available in 2016, and this technology is being established as a new option. Non‐pharmacological treatment of tachy‐arrhythmia began in 1969 from when Will C. Sealy performed surgery in patients with Wolff‐Parkinson‐White (WPW) syndrome (Figure 1). Since then, the application of surgical treatment has expanded to conditions such as ventricular tachycardia (VT) and atrial fibrillation (AF), and surgery has been the pioneer of radical therapy for tachyarrhythmias. At the present time, many surgical methods have been replaced by catheter ablation; however, surgical treatment still remains an indispensable option for patients with a tachycardia resistant to other medical treatments. Open in a separate window FIGURE 1 History of non‐pharmacotherapy of cardiac arrhythmia