Heart Arrhythmia Expert Joins SBUMC

Sei Iwai, an electrophysiologist, has joined Stony Brook University Medical Center as professor of clinical medicine, director of the Complex Arrhythmia Ablation Program, and director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Program. Appointed by David L. Brown, chief, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and co-director, Stony Brook Heart Center, Iwai is the latest appointment to SBUMC’s section of cardiac electrophysiology, the largest academic electrophysiology program in New York State.

Iwai’s clinical expertise is in the diagnosis and treatment of complex arrhythmias. He has lectured throughout the United States as well as in Europe on various topics related to cardiac electrophysiology. Iwai will see patients at SBUMC and at a satellite office in Patchogue.

“Dr. Iwai’s vast experience treating the most complex heart rhythm problems will allow us to further expand our arrhythmia services to better serve the patients and referring physicians of Suffolk County and beyond,” said Brown.

Iwai’s research experience includes both clinical and laboratory work. His primary areas of investigation include underlying arrhythmogenic mechanisms and pharmacologic sensitivities of various cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation; implications regarding catheter-based therapies; and cardiac repolarization alternans, a potent indicator of increased risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular arrhythmias.

“I would like to help grow the cardiac electrophysiology service into a first-class international program,” said Iwai,  “especially with respect to the catheter-based treatment of complex cardiac arrhythmias, as well as device-based therapies for the prevention and treatment of sudden cardiac death and heart failure.”

He also would like to continue his clinical research in further characterizing the underlying arrhythmogenic mechanisms and pharmacologic sensitivities of various cardiac arrhythmias and develop better predictors of sudden death.