Coronary artery disease and ventricular tachyarrhythmia: pathophysiology and treatment

► Prompt reperfusion decreases in-hospital and chronic-phase arrhythmias. ► Nonarrhythmic deaths due to postinfarct heart failure have increased. ► Antiarrhythmic drugs are needed, targeting heart failure and arrhythmias. ► The rising defibrillator implantations may not confer the expected survival benefit. ► Validation of risk-assessment algorithms for postinfarct patients is important.