Arthur J. Moss, MD, known in the cardiology field for his extensive research in diagnosing and treating long QT syndrome (LQTS), died of cancer Feb. 14 at his home in Brighton, New York. He was 86.
Moss’s work helped researchers identify risk factors and develop treatments, including implanting cardiac defibrillators, which were used for both LQTS and heart attack patients.
According to The New York Times, Moss planned to specialize in hematology as an intern at Massachusetts General Hospital. But the Navy thought he was a cardiologist after drafting him and assigned him to teach flight surgeons how to interpret electrocardiograms. Rather than raise a fuss, Moss read up on the topic and switched career paths.
He also served on a Navy team in 1959 that monitored the heart rhythms of a monkey who was sent into space and survived for years following the 16-minute flight—helping pave the way for human space travel.
“He’s probably done more to advance our understanding of heart rhythm disorders than any cardiologist or researcher in the world,” Eric Topol, MD, a cardiologist at the Scripps Research Institute, told The Times.
Read the newspaper’s full obituary below:
Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.