Antiarrhythmics
Antiarrhythmic drug therapy is used to restore normal rhythm and conduction. When it is not possible to revert to normal sinus rhythm, drugs may be used to prevent more serious and possibly lethal arrhythmias from occurring.
Examples of Antiarrhythmics
amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)
disopyramide (Norpace)
flecainide (Tambocor)
procainamide (Procanbid)
propafenone (Rythmol)
quinidine (Quinaglute)
Sometimes other categories of medications- beta blockers and calcium channel blockers- are used to help prevent arrhythmias.
Antiarrhythmic drugs are used to:
- decrease or increase conduction velocity
- alter the excitability of cardiac cells by changing the duration of the effective refractory period
- suppress abnormal automaticity
Classes of Drugs Used to Treat Arrhythmias
Classes of drugs used in the treatment of arrhythmias are given below. . Please note that many of the drugs comprising the first five listed classes have considerable overlap in their pharmacologic properties.
Antiarrhythmic drug classes:
- Class I - Sodium-channel blockers
- Class II - Beta-blockers
- Class III - Potassium-channel blockers
- Class IV - Calcium-channel blockers
- Miscellaneous - adenosine
- electrolyte supplement (magnesium and potassium salts)
- digitalis compounds (cardiac glycosides)
- atropine (muscarinic receptor antagonist)