A method for decreasing risk of ventricular tachycardia following myocardial infarction increases cell-to-cell coupling and/or excitability in the border zone of an infarcted region of myocardial tissue. Enhanced conduction to treat the border zone is carried out by genetically modifying myocytes in the border zone to form more gap junctions and/or sodium channels and/or calcium channels. Alternatively, enhanced conduction is carried out by incorporating cells into the border zone that form gap junctions with the myocytes and/or form sodium channels and/or form calcium channels.