CARDIAC RHYTHM ABNORMALITIES
Cardiac rhythm abnormalities are extremely frequent either in association with structural heart disease or in idiopathic form. Recent advances in non-pharmacological treatment, namely by percutaneous catheter ablation or by implantable cardiac devices have changed the majority of significant arrhythmia natural history. These therapies also had major implications in the prevention of sudden cardiac death and in the treatment of refractory heart failure, respectively with the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and the cardiac resynchronization devices.
The Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities Research Unit develops research activity in heart rhythm disturbances, including the mapping and ablation of supraventricular (atrial fibrillation, complex atrial arrhythmia, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and pre-excitation syndrome) or ventricular tachycardia, in the prevention of sudden cardiac death and in the treatment of refractory heart failure. All the researchers are also clinicians with significant experience in rhythm abnormalities management, affiliated with the Lisbon School of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa and Santa Maria University Hospital. In addition a number of researchers usually collaborate with this research group, namely cardiology fellows and cardiac physiologists.
RESEARCH TEAM

de Sousa, João, MD
Group Leader
Medical Degree (1984), Lisbon School of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa. Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship, University of Michgan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, USA (1989-91). Senior Cardiology Consultant, Coordinator of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory (2001) and Invasive Arrhythmia Unit (2004) – Cardiology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, CHULN, Lisbon, Portugal . Invited Professor of Cardiology and Medicine – Lisbon School of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa (2009). President of the Portuguese Association of Arrhythmia, Pacing and Electrophysiology (2007-2009). Associate Editor, Portuguese Journal of Cardiology (2006-2015). Main research areas: Ablation therapy, Device therapy for heart failure and for sudden death prevention. ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2782-8214.
E-mail: jmfrsousa@gmail.com

António, Pedro, MD
Medical Degree in 2016 (Lisbon School of Medicine of the Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal). Cardiology resident at CHLN – Santa Maria University Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon (2018-2022). Cardiology Assistant at Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN E.P.E, Lisbon since 2023. Areas of interest: implantable electrical devices, clínical arrhythmology and heart failure
Email: pedro.silverio.antonio@gmail.com

Brito, Joana, MD
Medical degree in 2017 (Faculty of Medicine Coimbra University Hospital). Underwent general internship in 2018. She is a cardiology resident – CHULN, EPE, Lisbon, since 2019. Fellowship in Arrhythmology – Rennes University Hospital (2023). She is a researcher at Cardiovascular Centre of Lisbon University (CCUL) since 2022. Areas of interest: clinical arrhythmology, invasive electrophysiology and implantable cardiac devices.
Email: jofcbrito@gmail.com

Carpinteiro, Luís, MD
Medical Degree completed in 1986. General Internship completed in 1988, obtaining 82% score, 52th / 1883 candidates in National Board Examination. Residency in Cardiology at the Lisbon University / Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, PT, comprehending external 6 months residency at Unidade de Urgências Médicas (Medical Emergency Unit) at Hospital de São José, Lisbon, PT; 12 + 3 months residency at University Hospital Eppendorf and St. Georg General Hospital, Cardiac Arrhythmia Unit, Hamburg, DE. Final Exam classification score 93.5% in 1995.
Served as Cardiologist at Hospital Fernando Fonseca, Amadora, PT (1995-98), starting the Cardiac Arrhythmia Ambulatory Clinic and Electrophysiology Laboratory; as Cardiology Director at Santa Luzia Hospital, Elvas, PT, (1998-2000), starting the CRM devices unit.
Since 2000, serves at the Cardiology Department, Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon, PT, focusing in Cardiac Arrhythmia ambulatory and Interventional care. Has collaborated in both under and postgraduate teaching. Has collaborated in several Industry-sponsored trials and Investigator-initiated research projects. Authored or co-authored several papers presented at medical meetings or published at peer-reviewed journals.
Presently engaged as student in a program for Master Degree in Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Cortez-Dias, Nuno, MD PhD

Lima da Silva, Gustavo, MD, PhD
PhD Student
Completed his medical degree in 2011. Underwent general internship in 2012, and specific residency training in cardiology between 2013 and 2017 at the Cardiology Department, Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E., Lisbon. He is since a specialist in Cardiology at the same department. His main fields of interest are clinical arrhythmology, invasive electrophysiology and implantable electrical devices. He also teaches cardiology at the Lisbon School of Medicine of the Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal and is currently developing his PhD. He has taken part in over 20 research projects, has over 20 published papers, 12 as first author, and participated in over 200 scientific communications.
E-mail: gustavolssilva@gmail.com

Magalhães, Andreia, MD
Andreia Magalhães graduated at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, in 2008. She did her Cardiology training at Santa Maria University Hospital – CHULN E.P.E (Lisbon, Portugal), where she works as Cardiologist Assistant since 2015. She has a post-graduation in Heart Failure by Heart Failure Association – European Society of Cardiology and Zurich University. She is a researcher at Cardiovascular Centre of Lisbon University (CCUL) since 2010. She is also Cardiology Invited Assistant at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon Areas of interest: Cardio-Oncology, Heart Failure and Implantable Cardiac Devices.
Co-Researcher in Cardio-Oncology
E-mail: andreiaspm@gmail.com

Marques, Pedro, MD
Co-Researcher in Paramyloidosis
E-mail: pedroncmarques@gmail.com

Nunes-Ferreira, Afonso, MD
Medical Degree in 2014 (Lisbon School of Medicine of the Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal). Cardiology training at Santa Maria Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E, Lisbon (since 2016). Pathophysiology assistant at Lisbon School of Medicine of the Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal (since 2015). Researcher at the Cardiology Center of the University of Lisbon (since 2018).
Co-Researcher in Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies

Pereira, Sara Couto, MD
Sara Couto Pereira graduated at Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar – Universidade do Porto (ICBAS-UP), Portugal in 2016. She did her Cardiology training at Santa Maria University Hospital – CHULN E.P.E (Lisbon, Portugal), completed in 2022. Since 2023, she works as Cardiology Assistant in Santa Maria University Hospital – CHULN, E.P.E. She is a researcher at Cardiovascular Centre of Lisbon University (CCUL) since 2023.
Email: sacoutopereira@gmail.com