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Historical Perspectives on Cardioversion and Defibrillation

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Cardiac Arrhythmias, Pacing & Electrophysiology

Part of the book series: Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine ((DICM,volume 201))

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Abstract

The diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, including cardioversion and defibrillation, has a long and fascinating history. From earliest times no clinical symptom impressed the patient (and the physician) more than an irregular heart beat. In fact, Ludwig van Beethoven (born in Bonn, Germany, 17 December 1770) set his own cardiac rhythm disturbance to music (piano sonata opus 81a “Les adieux”) long before Einthoven graphically documented the electrical expression of regular and irregular cardiac activity in the form of an electrocardiogram.

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Authors
  1. Berndt Lüderitz
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Panos E. Vardas (Professor of Cardiology) (Professor of Cardiology)

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Lüderitz, B. (1998). Historical Perspectives on Cardioversion and Defibrillation. In: Vardas, P.E. (eds) Cardiac Arrhythmias, Pacing & Electrophysiology. Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine, vol 201. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5254-9_34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5254-9_34

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6210-7

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