Electrical injury to the heart may cause long-term damage to conducting tissue: a hypothesis and review of the literature

Electrical injury, particularly alternating current, may lead to disease of conducting tissue, myocardial damage or may cause sudden cardiac death. Subtle abnormalities, particularly of sinus node function, may pose diagnostic difficulties and may not present for many years. The long-term follow-up of patients, perhaps as part of a registry, will help to define the clinical spectrum of cardiac presentations of electrical injury.