Mechanisms of Action of Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Mechanisms of action of antiarrhythmic drugs.

Experimental evidence for proarrhythmic mechanisms of antiarrhythmic drugs.

The major limitation to antiarrhythmic drug therapy is the risk of arrhythmia promotion, or 'proarrhythmia.' This complication may be lethal, and greatly restricts the value of antiarrhythmic agents, particularly for arrhythmias without an intrinsic mortality risk, such as atrial fibrillation. In order for improved antiarrhythmic drug therapy to be developed, it is essential to understand the f...

Antiarrhythmic drugs.

Most patients with cardiac arrhythmias require treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs, although recent advances in surgical and electrical techniques are promising. The ideal antiarrhythmic compound should have: (1) A wide range of therapeutic activity in both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. (2) Parenteral and oral formulations to permit simple dosage schedules. (3) Pharmacokinetic properties ...

Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Cardiac arrhythmias result from alterations in the orderly sequence of depolarization followed by repolarization in the heart. Cardiac arrhythmias may result in alterations in heart rate or rhythm and arise from alterations in impulse generation or conduction. The clinical implications of disordered cardiac activation range from asymptomatic palpitations to lethal arrhythmia. Pharmacological ma...

Mechanisms of Action of Antiepileptic Drugs

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), one of the main inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brain, interacts with three types of receptors for GABA GABAA, GABAB and GABAC. GABAA receptors, associated with binding sites for benzodiazepines and barbiturates in the form of a receptor complex, control opening of the chloride channel. When GABA binds to the receptor complex, the channel is opened and chloride a...