New Strategies for the Treatment of Sick Sinus Syndrome

Abstract

Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is an organic disorder of the sinoatrial node and its adjacent tissues, which causes problems in sinus node pacing function and sinus node conduction, thus leading to arrhythmias and multiple symptoms. The aetiology of the syndrome is complex, and the pathogenesis is unknown. Traditional therapies for SSS include drug therapy and pacemaker implantation, which have only partially succeeded clinically and cannot cure SSS. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop targeted therapies in order to treat SSS. This article aims to summarize the aetiology and pathogenesis of SSS, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of traditional treatment methods, and focus on the biological pacing strategies based on gene and cell therapy.