Subtle killers and sudden death: Genetic variants modulating ventricular fibrillation in the setting of myocardial infarction

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a catastrophic cardiovascular event most commonly occurring as a consequence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in adults suffering from acute myocardial infarction (MI) or its late consequences. Several studies have demonstrated the role of family history of SCD in the determination of risk of SCD and VF; however, the genetic underpinnings of SCD and VF remain largely unknown. In this thesis, we investigated genetic determinants of VF using multiple genomic approaches including genome-wide association studies (GWAS), candidate gene approaches, pathway analysis as well as integration with expression quantitative loci (eQTL) data. These approaches were undertaken in the Arrhythmia Genetics in the NEtherlands (AGNES) study.