Dr. Arthur Moss was a pioneering cardiologist whose six-decade career transformed the prevention and treatment of sudden cardiac death worldwide. He served as a distinguished professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center, establishing himself as a visionary leader in cardiac electrophysiology research and clinical practice. Born on June 21, 1931, in White Plains, New York, Dr. Moss dedicated his professional life to understanding the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias and developing life-saving interventions for patients at risk. His early work in the 1960s and 1970s established the foundation for modern approaches to diagnosing and treating inherited cardiac conditions.
Dr. Moss created the International Long QT Syndrome Registry in 1979, one of the first rare disease registries globally, which enabled identification of risk factors for early diagnosis and development of treatment options achieving an 80 percent reduction in life-threatening events. He devised the first effective surgical treatment for long QT syndrome and had the foresight to preserve blood samples for future genetic analysis long before such techniques were commonplace. His leadership of the MADIT clinical trials in the 1990s demonstrated that implantable cardioverter defibrillators significantly reduce the risk of sudden death in post-heart attack patients, changing medical guidelines worldwide in the early 2000s. Dr. Moss published over 750 scientific papers throughout his career, including 180 specifically on long QT syndrome, with his work contributing to the discovery of multiple genes associated with the disorder. The National Institutes of Health continuously supported his registry since its creation, recognizing its immense scientific and clinical value.
Dr. Moss mentored generations of cardiologists and researchers, leaving an immense legacy that continues through his students and the scientific community he helped build at the University of Rochester. His work has directly contributed to saving hundreds of thousands of lives through the widespread adoption of ICD therapy and improved treatments for cardiac arrhythmias. Despite passing away on February 14, 2018, at age 86, Dr. Moss's contributions to cardiovascular medicine continue to shape clinical practice and research worldwide. The International Long QT Syndrome Registry remains one of the most important repositories in the field, standing as a testament to his visionary approach to medical research.
