Cardiac Rhythm Management is a field of activity in cardiology. The purpose is managing (treating) cardiac rhythm disorders. Usually it involves cardiac pacing and/or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy as well as antiarrhythmic agents (drugs). Cardiology is the branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the heart and blood vessels. ... Cardiac arrhythmia is a group of conditions in which the muscle contraction of the heart is irregular or is faster or slower than normal. ... A pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the hearts natural pacemaker) is a medical device designed to regulate the beating of the heart. ... An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a device that is implanted under the skin of patients that are at risk of sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation. ... Antiarrhythmic agents are a group of pharmaceuticals that are used to suppress fast rhythms of the heart (cardiac arrhythmias), such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. ...

See also:

• Cardiac electrophysiology
• Artificial pacemaker
• Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator

Cardiac electrophysiology is the science of the electric functioning of the heart. ... A pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the hearts natural pacemaker) is a medical device designed to regulate the beating of the heart. ... An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a device that is implanted under the skin of patients that are at risk of sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation. ...

Reference

• "The Controversy over Guidant's Implantable Defibrillators" Robert Steinbrook. The New England Journal of Medicine. Boston: Jul 21, 2005.Vol.353, Iss. 3; pg. 221