Antidysrhythmics Flashcards
What are the 2 major mechanisms that cause ectopic cardiac dysrhythmias?
Automaticity
Reentry
What is automaticity in the myocardium?
The ability of the cardiac muscles to depolarize spontaneously without electrical stimulation from the nervous system.
The discharge rate of normal or abnormal pacemaker activity may be accelerated by what: (4)
- Drugs
- Various forms of cardiac disease
- Reduced potassium
- Alterations of autonomic nervous system tone
What does enhanced normal automaticity result in?
What does abnormal automaticity result in?
Sinus tachycardia
Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
Reentry is responsible for most of the clinically important arrhythmias, including a-fib, a-flutter, AV nodal reentry, AV reentry involving a bypass tract, ventricular tachycardia after MI, and v-fib. True or false?
True.
What are other underlying mechanisms that can cause dysrhythmias? (7)
Myocardial Ischemia
Hypoxemia
Bradycardia–>ventricular dysrhythmias
Hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia–>ventricular dysrhy.
Volatile agents and other drugs
Acid-Base Changes–>**alkalosis **
ANS Changes
What are the following antidysrhythmic classes?
Class I
II
III
IV
I. Membrane stabilizers
II. Beta blockers
III. Prolong repolarization
IV: Ca channel blockers
How do Class I agents work? (3)
Decrease automaticity
Decrease conduction through bypass tracts by blocking “fast” Na channels
Decrease Phase 0 depolarization
What is Phase 0?
Rapid depolarization via Na channels
Gates close when 0 mV reached
What is Phase 1?
Partial repolarization (K moves out the cell)
What is Phase 2?
Plateau (slow Ca movement into cell to neutralize K out)
What is Phase 3?
Rapid repolarization
(Ca channel close and K continues to move out unopposed)
What is Phase 4?
Resting phase, repolarization
The Class I drugs are the membrane stabilizers that block _______ channels thereby inhibiting Phase ___ .
Sodium
0
What do Class IA drugs do? (3)
Depress Phase 0 depolarization
Prolong action potential duration
Slow conduction velocity
What are the Class IA drugs? (3)
Procainamide
Disopyramide
Quinidine
When is QUINIDINE indicated? (3)
What class drug is it?
- A-fib
- WPW
- PVC’s
Class IA
What do Class IB drugs do? (2)
Shorten AP conduction
Have little effect on Phase 0
What are the Class IB drugs? (3)
Phenytoin
Lidocaine
Tocainide
What do Class IC drugs do? (3)
Greatly depress Phase 0 depolarization
Minimally affect AP duration
Slow conduction
What class of agents bind most rapidly to the receptors?
What class of agents have the slowest binding and dissociation from the receptor?
Class IB
Class IC
What % of patients with a-fib taking quinidine, procainamide, and disopyramide will convert to NSR?
25%
Class IA drugs can be given IM and are preferred to be given IV? True or false?
False
Not IM because of pain.
Limited via IV because of vasodilation and myocardial depression can result.
What drug is effective in the treatment of acute and chronic supraventricular dysrhythmias?
Quinidine
What are the side effects of quinidine? (5)
- Prolonged QT
- Syncope or sudden death
- Hypotension
- Allergic reaction (itch, hives)
- Diarrhea
We use quinidine in the OR. True or false?
False.
What EKG changes will indicate that quinidine should be discontinued or the dose should be decreased?
50% increase in QRS duration or heart block will ensue
What pts should not be prescibed quinidine? (2)
prolonged QT interval
AV heart block
What are the indications for procainamide? (3)
- PVT
- PVC
- Ventricular dysrhythmias
Note: Not as effective in treating atrial tachydysrhythmias as quinidine.
What are the side effects of procainamide? (5)
- Myocardial depression
- Hypotension (by direct myocardial depression)
- Asystole or v-fib (heart block or high conc. of drug)
- Lupus-like symptoms (SLE-like syndrome)
- Rash
Note: SLE is systemic lupus erythematasous
Also, incidence of side effects are high!
What are the indications for disopyramide?
Atrial and ventricular tachydysrhythmias
What is the adminiatration for disopyramide?
Oral
What is the mechanism of disopyramide?
When is the peak effect?
Simiar to quinidine, membrane stabilizing
2 hours
What are the side effects of disopyramide? (3)
Direct myocardial depression–precipitating CHF, hypotension
Anticholinergic activity–dry mouth, urinary hesitancy
Prolonged QT and paradoxical VT
What are the indications for lidocaine relating to dysrhythmias? (2)
PVC
V-tach
Note: Minimal atrial effects!
Lidocaine has significant 1st pass metabolism. True of false?
True.