ANTIARRHYTHMIC DRUGS (from PPT) Flashcards
(107 cards)
How do Antiarrhythmic drugs produce their pharmacologic effects?
by blocking passage of ions across sodium, potassium, and calcium ion channels present in the heart
How many phases does the heart have (according to Hammon’s notes)?
Five phases
The cardiac action potential results from?
the interplay of multiple inward and outward currents via specific ion channels responsible for each of the five phases.
The duration of each phase of the action potential, does that differ from atrial to ventricular?
yes, it differs in atrial compared with ventricular myocardium.
Is their a difference in ion channel density based on what part of the heart you are dealing with? (SA, AV, Bundle of HIS, etc…)
Yes! Specialized systems for conduction of cardiac impulses differ in ion channel density.
What are Ion channels?
large membrane-bound glycoproteins that provide a pathway across cell membranes for the passage of ions
What are Ion channels?
large membrane-bound glycoproteins that provide a pathway across cell membranes for the passage of ions
The resting state of the hearts conduction cycle is more prevalent when?
during diastole
The active state occurs during?
the upstroke of the action potential.
The inactive state occurs during?
the plateau phase of repolarization.
Cardiac arrhythmic drugs are most commonly classified into how many groups?
four groups
Cardiac arrhythmic drugs are grouped based on what?
the ability of the drug to control arrhythmias by blocking specific ion channels and currents during the cardiac action potential.
Other characteristics of cardiac arrhythmic drugs that may be more important clinically would be what? (2 things)
the impact of the drug on autonomic nervous system activity and myocardial contractility.
Based on table 21-3 of the book, protein binding % from greatest to least. (The drugs in all Caps are more important or commonly used drugs)
AMIODARONE - 96% Propafenone - > 95% PROPRANOLOL - 90-95% VERAPAMIL - 90% QUINIDINE - 80-90% Mexiletine - 60-75% LIDOCAINE - 55% Flecainide - 30-45%
Procainamide and Disopryramide both are 15%
Tocainide is 10-30%
SOTALOL has no protein binding percentage listed in table?
What triggers Torsades de pointes?
triggered by early afterdepolarizations in a setting of delayed repolarization and increased duration of refractoriness manifesting as prolongation of the QTc interval on the ECG.
Drug-induced Torsades de pointes is often associated with what heart rhythm?
bradycardia because the QTc interval is longer at slower heart rates.
What are some exacerbating factors that may cause Torsades? (Important predisposing factors that help in the development of Torsades)
hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, poor left ventricular function, and concomitant administration of other QT-prolonging drugs are important predisposing factors in the development of this life-threatening rhythm..
Incessant ventricular tachycardia may be precipitated by drugs that do what?
drugs that slow conduction of cardiac impulses (class IA and class IC drugs) sufficiently to create a continuous ventricular tachycardia circuit (reentry).
Incessant ventricular tachycardia is more likely to occur with high doses of what drug class? (1)
Class IC drugs
Incessant ventricular tachycardia is more likely to occur in patients with a history of what two things?
prior history of sustained ventricular tachycardia and poor left ventricular function
Incessant Ventricular Tachycardia is rarely associated with which antiarrhythmic drug class? Why?
class IB drugs, which have a weaker blocking effect of sodium channels.
Wide complex ventricular rhythm is usually associated with which class of drugs, and what heart dz does the patient also have to have?
IC drugs in the setting of structural heart disease.
Excessive plasma concentrations of class IC drugs or abrupt change in the dose makes Wide complex ventricular rhythm more or less likely to occur?
more likely to occur.
Wide complex ventricular rhythm is thought to reflect what kind of tachycardia?
a reentrant tachycardia