CARDIAC RHYTHM ABNORMALITIES
Cardiac rhythm abnormalities are extremely common, occurring either in association with structural heart disease or in idiopathic forms. Recent advances in non-pharmacological treatment—namely percutaneous catheter ablation and implantable cardiac devices—have changed the natural history of most clinically significant arrhythmias. These therapies have also had a major impact on the prevention of sudden cardiac death (via implantable cardioverter-defibrillators) and the treatment of refractory heart failure (through cardiac resynchronization therapy).
The Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities Research Unit conducts research on heart rhythm disturbances, including the mapping and ablation of supraventricular arrhythmias (such as atrial fibrillation, complex atrial arrhythmias, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, and pre-excitation syndromes), ventricular tachycardia, the prevention of sudden cardiac death, and the treatment of refractory heart failure.
All researchers are also clinicians with substantial experience in the management of rhythm disorders and are affiliated with the Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon, and Santa Maria University Hospital. In addition, a number of collaborators—namely cardiology fellows and cardiac physiologists—regularly contribute to the work of this research group.
RESEARCH TEAM
de Sousa, João, MD
GROUP LEADER
João de Sousa obtained his Medical Degree from the Lisbon School of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa, in 1984, and completed a Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship at the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, USA (1989–1991). He is currently Senior Cardiology Consultant, Coordinator of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory (since 2001), and Head of the Invasive Arrhythmia Unit (since 2004) at the Cardiology Department of Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN, Lisbon.
Since 2009, he has been Invited Professor of Cardiology and Medicine at the Lisbon School of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa. He served as President of the Portuguese Association of Arrhythmia, Pacing and Electrophysiology (2007–2009) and as Associate Editor of the Portuguese Journal of Cardiology (2006–2015).
His main research interests include ablation therapy, device therapy for heart failure, and sudden death prevention.
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2782-8214.
E-mail: jmfrsousa@gmail.com
Cortez-Dias, Nuno, MD, PhD
Lima da Silva, Gustavo, MD, PhD
Researcher
Gustavo Lima da Silva completed his Medical Degree in 2011 and his general internship in 2012. He underwent cardiology residency training between 2013 and 2017 at the Cardiology Department of Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon, and has since been working as a Cardiology Specialist in the same department.
He has participated in over 20 research projects, has authored more than 20 scientific publications (12 as first author), and has contributed to over 200 scientific communications.
His main areas of interest include clinical arrhythmology, invasive electrophysiology, and implantable electrical devices. He also teaches cardiology at the Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon, and is currently pursuing his PhD.
ORCID: 0000-0003-3138-8354
E-mail: gustavolssilva@gmail.com
Nunes-Ferreira, Afonso, MD
PhD Student
Afonso Nunes-Ferreira graduated in Medicine in 2014 from the Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon. He has been undergoing Cardiology training at Santa Maria Hospital, CHULN, Lisbon, since 2016. Since 2015, he has served as a Teaching Assistant in Pathophysiology at the Lisbon School of Medicine, and since 2018 he has been a researcher at the Cardiovascular Centre of the University of Lisbon.
ORCID: 0000-0002-2836-9497
E-mail: afonso.ferreira@chln.min-saude.pt
Co-Researcher in Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies
Magalhães, Andreia, MD
PhD Student
Andreia Magalhães graduated from the Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal, in 2008. She completed her Cardiology training at Santa Maria University Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E. (Lisbon, Portugal), where she has been working as an Assistant Cardiologist since 2015. She holds a postgraduate diploma in Heart Failure from the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology and the University of Zurich.
She has been a researcher at the Cardiovascular Centre of the University of Lisbon (CCUL) since 2010 and is also an Invited Assistant in Cardiology at the Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon.
Areas of interest: Cardio-Oncology, Heart Failure, and Implantable Cardiac Devices.
ORCID: 0000-0002-4638-990X
E-mail: andreiaspm@gmail.com
Co-Researcher in Cardio-Oncology
Carpinteiro, Luís, MD
Researcher
Luís Carpinteiro completed his Medical Degree in 1986 and his General Internship in 1988. He completed his Cardiology residency at the University of Lisbon / Santa Maria Hospital, which included external training at the Medical Emergency Unit of São José Hospital (Lisbon), and at the University Hospital Eppendorf and St. Georg General Hospital – Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit (Hamburg, Germany), for 12 + 3 months. He completed his final residency exam in 1995.
He served as a Cardiologist at Hospital Fernando Fonseca (Amadora, 1995–1998), where he established the Cardiac Arrhythmia Outpatient Clinic and Electrophysiology Laboratory. From 1998 to 2000, he was Director of Cardiology at Santa Luzia Hospital (Elvas), where he initiated the Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM) devices unit.
Since 2000, he has been part of the Cardiology Department at Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon, focusing on outpatient and interventional care in cardiac arrhythmias. He has contributed to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and has participated in several industry-sponsored trials and investigator-initiated research projects. He has authored or co-authored numerous papers presented at scientific meetings or published in peer-reviewed journals.
He is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Cardiac Rehabilitation.
António, Pedro, MD
Researcher
Pedro António obtained his Medical Degree in 2016 from the Lisbon School of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal. He completed his Cardiology residency at Santa Maria University Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon (2018–2022) and has been working as a Cardiology Assistant at the same institution since 2023. His main areas of interest include implantable electrical devices, clinical arrhythmology, and heart failure.
Brito, Joana, MD
Researcher
Joana Brito obtained her Medical Degree in 2017 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra. She completed her general internship in 2018 and has been a Cardiology resident at Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon, since 2019. In 2023, she completed a fellowship in Arrhythmology at Rennes University Hospital. She has been a researcher at the Cardiovascular Centre of the University of Lisbon (CCUL) since 2022.
Her main areas of interest include clinical arrhythmology, invasive electrophysiology, and implantable cardiac devices.
Email: jofcbrito@gmail.com
Marques, Pedro, MD
ORCID: 0000-0003-0980-7102
E-mail: pedroncmarques@gmail.com
Co-Researcher in Paramyloidosis
Couto Pereira, Sara, MD
Researcher
Sara Couto Pereira graduated from the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar – University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Portugal, in 2016. She completed her Cardiology training at Santa Maria University Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon, in 2022. Since 2023, she has been working as a Cardiology Assistant at the same institution. She has also been a researcher at the Cardiovascular Centre of the University of Lisbon (CCUL) since 2023.
Email: sacoutopereira@gmail.com