Anti-arryhthmics Flashcards
Quinidine, procainamide, disopyramide (NEVER USED FOR VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIA!!)
Class: Class IA anti-arrhythmics
Mech: Block inward potassium rectifying channel (slow rate) at normal concentrations; blocks sodium channels (fast rate) at high concentrations; depress phase 0, slow conduction and prolong repol (prolong ERP and APD)
Thera: Atrial fibrillation/flutter, paroxsymal supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia
Important SE’s: quinidine with nausea/diarrhea, fever, hepatitis, thrombocytopenia, QT prolongation; drug interactions (displaces digoxin), inhibits Cyp2D6, metabolism induced by phenytoin, phenobarbital;
procainamide: no alpha-adrenergic blockade or M2 blockade; drug-induced lupus syndrome, QT prolongation, active metabolite that is NAPA, hypotension;
disopyramide: no alpha-adr blockade, prominent ACh action, QT prolongation!!!
Lidocaine, mexiletine, tocainide
Class: Class IB anti-arrhythmics
Mech: Block sodium channels in inactivated state mostly (late Na channel blockade); no action on atrial tissue
Thera: Digitalis toxicity, cardioversion, emergency VT/VF
SE’s: lidocaine with tremor, nausea, seizures; mexiletine with GI toxicity
Misc: lidocaine with no QT prolongation, could shorten APD slightly; mexiletine given orally, lidocaine IV
Flecainide, propafenone, moricizine
Class: Class IC anti-arrhythmics
Mech: Sodium channel blockers (most potent in class I), acting as negative ionotrope; IKr blockade; s+-propafenone with beta-blocking activity, 5-hydroxy metabolite without beta-blocker activity;
Thera: Atrial fibrillation/flutter, paroxsymal supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia
Important SE’s: Worsened heart failure and VT, proarrhythmia in ischemic tissue, increased mortality; they can prolong APD preferentially at faster heart rates and prolong PR, QRS, QT interval; Flecainide with blurred vision as SE and betablocking of s+-propafenone could cause sinus tachy and bronchospasm
Propanolol, carvedilol.
Class: Class II anti-arrhythmics - beta blockers
Mech: Blocks beta-adrenergic receptors; decrease SA, AV node activity (phase 4 depolarization); propanolol is membrane stabilizing and highly lipophilic and suppresses exercise-induced tachy, digitalis-induced tachyarrhythmias, MI; carvedilol and metoprolol to decrease CHF mortality; acebutolol similar to metoprolol but some intrinsic sympathomimetic activity
Thera: Control of ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation/flutter; prevent or terminate SVTs
Important SE’s: Hypotension, brochospasm, bradycardia
Misc: Decreases mortality in CHF; contraindicated in WPW and sudden withdrawal of beta blocker in angina patient could cause MI
esmolol given IV and useful in acute emergency treatment of SVTs where short duration is desired
Sotalol, amiodarone, dofetilide, ibutelide, dronedarone
Class: Class III anti-arrhythmics
Mech: K channel blockade = prolongs refractoriness; amiodarone can decrease Na, Ca, K currents and has alpha and beta adrenergic blocking effect and prolongs ERP and APD; dofetilide an IKr blocker
Thera: Atrial fibrillation/flutter, paroxsymal supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia
ibutilide IV for atrial F or F;
dofetilide: convert chronic AF, paroxysmal AF, maintain sinus rhythm after cardioversion
amiodarone: chronic AF, SVTs, acute VF, prophylaxis (cardiac surgery)
Important SE’s: Torsades de Pointes; QT prolongation, pulmonary fibrosis, peripheral neuropathy, hepatic dysfunction
Other SE’s: Photosensitivity (blue-gray skin; numerous drug interactions;
dronedarone with QT prolongation, nausea, diarrhea
sotalol with EADs, TdP, decreased HR, decreased AV conduction
Nifedipine, amlodipine, felopidine, isradipine, veapamil, diltiazam.
Class: Class IV anti-arrhythmics - calcium chanel blockers
Mech: Blockade of L-type calcium channels: slow SA & AV node activity; prolong AV refractoriness
Thera: Prevent or terminate reentrant SVTs (verapamil and diltiazem for acute afib or flutter)
Important SE’s: IV use Hypotension, bradycardia, constipation, dizziness
Other SE’s: Increased serum digoxin levels
Misc: Contraindicated in WPW
Adenosine
Class: Anti-arrhythmic
Mech: decreases SA, AV node activity; increases AV refractoriness;
Thera: terminates PSVT, AVN reentrant arrhythmias, NOT atrial flutter, a fib, multifocal atrial tachy, WPW;
Important SE’s: Sedation, dyspnea, hypotension; antagonized by methylxanthines (caffeine, theophylline)
Digoxin
Class: Anti-arrhythmic
Mech: Na/K pump inhibitor; slows AVN activity and conduction, indirect atrial
Thera: Atrial fibrillation/flutter; chronic SVT
Important SE’s: Nausea, cognitive dysfunction, blurred or yellow vision
Other SE’s: May cause DAD arrhythmias
Misc: Low therapeutic index; drug interactions; hypokalemia will exacerbate effect
Magnesium sulfate
Class: Anti-arrhythmic
Thera: Prevents recurrent TdP and some digitalis-induced arrhythmias
Misc: Alternative to amiodarone for shock-refractory cardiac arrest.
Mechanisms of arrhythmias:
- Automaticity (normal automaticity with bradycardia and tachycardia involving If and ICa, L; also ectopic activity/focus in atria/ventricle; also ABNORMAL automaticity with triggered activity, EADs occuring after phase 3 and DADs in phase 4)
- Conduction (conduction block with SAN, AVN types I, II, III; and BBB, like RBBB, LBBB, hemiblocks; also RENTRANT ARRHYTHMIAS, like unidirectional block, slow conduction, and a conduction time greater than the refractory period)
Ectopic activity more likely to happen in; what would we see in accelerated normal automaticity of your atria/ventricles? What about SA node?
Purkingje fibers (some pacemaker activity) more so than the atria and ventricles;
If and ICa,L increase, in times of ischemia, catecholamine usage, depol moderate;
maybe decreased funny current and see HCN at SA node
EADs develop during; DADS develop during
phase 3 repol, with blockade of Ikr and Iks and increase of INa late, ICa,L; phase 4 (resting, diastole) with decreased IK1 and increased Na, Ca influx (the Na/K ATPase isn't working, NCX not working, and IC Ca goes up)
Major determinants of conduction velocity are mostly
- decreased cardiac Na current
- Increased gap junction resistance (less voltage travels downstream of AP, meaning less conduction and potential ischemia)
- Increased fibrosis (secondary to the other two; look for hypertrophy
Reentry involves:
- unidirectional block (asymmetric excitability: impulse conducted in one direction and not another)
- Slow conduction (decremental conduction)
- Conduction time is greater than the refractory period (might need to treat with complete block and block smaller branch to prevent reentry); look at SHEET!!;
Reentry favored by refractory period, gap junction coupling, fibrosis; as well as extrasystoles
Sinus bradycardia may be caused by; how to treat?:
- depressed impulse FORMATION
- impaired impulse CONDUCTION
- Excess VAGAL tone
- Hyperkalemia
- Hypothyroidism, sleep apnea
- Meds (BB, CCblockers, ACh, adenosine);
think sick sinus syndrome with disease of the SA node and in elderly greater than 65 yrs of age; also occlusion of SA artery;
treat causative medical condition, alter meds, may require artificial pacemaker