8/20- Anti-arrhythmics Flashcards
What is an ectopic arrhythmia?
Originates outside normal conduction system
What is sinus tachycardia?
Originates from normal AV node
Define: paroxysmal
Sudden onset
What is normal EDV? SV?
EDV = 140 mL
ESV = 70 mL
SV = 70 mL (normal is 50-65%)
Describe the membrane potential changes that occur in cardiac myocytes
0: Rapid depolarization due to Na influx
1: Early repolarization (due to Na closure?)
2: Plateau due to Ca influx with K efflux
3: Repolarization due to K efflux
4: Resting potential maintained by diastolic Na (and Ca) influx
What are the different targets for anti-arrhythmic drugs?
- Na channels
- K channels
- Ca channels
- Resting membrane potential (beta blockers)
What is If (funny current)?
Mediated by HCN channels (Hyperpolarization-activated Cyclic Nucleotide-gated)
- Non-selective cation channels (Na and K)
- Activated by hyperpolarization of cell as well as increased levels of cAMP
- HCN channels close during depolarization
- Responsible for increasing resting potential in nodal cells (Na influx and K efflux?)
Differences between SA node and ventricular myocytes?
Resting membrane potentials:
- SA node: -55 mV
- AV node:-65 mV
- Vent myocytes: -85 mV
Threshold
- Same (as well as the ions responsible for AP)
Big difference:
- Ca current important in SA node depol (why CCBs will reduce heart rate more than contractility)
- Na current is the key depolarizing current in myocytes
What is the result of potassium imbalance in regards to depol/rhythm?
Increased tendency to depolarize
What is the result of hypoxia in regards to depol/rhythm?
Hypoxia -> higher Ca inside cells -> increased tendency to depolarize from ectopic loci
What is an escape beat/what causes it?
SA nodal firing is too slow and latent pacemaker fires an escape beat
- A series of escape beats may -> arrhythmia
What is an ectopic beat/what causes it?
Latent pacemaker starts beating faster than SA node
- SA node firing is suppressed by faster-paced latent pacemaker
- Series of ectopic beats -> arrhythmia
What increases the possibility of early afterdepolarization?
QT prolongation
What is early afterdepolarization?
- Generally occur during repolarizing phase of action potential
- Repetitive can trigger arrhythmia (“torsades de pointes”)
- Increased by QT prolongation
Prolonged QT interval leads to what?
Ventricular arrhythmias
- QT interval corresponds to ventricular depol and repol
What drugs can convert unidirectional block to bidirectional block?
How is this clinically useful?
Some Class 1 drugs
- Lidocaine
(This prevents conduction through the damaged area and interrupts the reentrant arrhythmias)
What does a bypass tract result in?
Prevalence in normal population?
- Bypass tract (bundle of Kent) will depolarize early and -> arrhythmias (WPW)
- 0.1-0.3% in general population (1-3/1000)
What are the 4/5 classes of antiarrhythmic drugs?
- Na channel blockers (class Ia, Ib, Ic)
- Beta blockers (class II)
- K channel blockers (class III)
- Ca channel blockers (class IV)
- Other mechanisms (class V)