Pharmacology Flashcards
Na channel blockers - MOA
Bind to open and inactivated sodium channels. Dissociate during resting stage. More pronounced effect on rapidly firing cardiac tissue.
Use-dependent blockade: what does it mean?
Na channels in rapidly firing cardiac tissue spend more time open and inactivated. Since this is when the Na channel blockers bind to the channels, they suppress conduction more in e.g. tachycardia than in normal rhythm.
Na channel blockers - subdivisions (3) and their drugs (3, 2, 2)
Class IA: Quinidine, disopyramide, procainamide.
Class IB: Lidocaine, mexiletine.
Class IC: Flecainide, propafenone.
Main differences between the classes of Na channel blockers
Class IA: Open>inactivated Na channels. Slow dissociation.
Class IB: Inactivated>open Na channels. Rapid dissociation.
Class IC: Open>inactivated Na channels. Very slow dissociation.
Class IA - affinity for which channels and effects.
Fast Na channels and delayed K channels.
Decreased conduction velocity. Prolonged ventricular action potential and refractory period. (Prolonged QRS and QT intervals. Suppress ectopic automaticity without suppressing SA node automaticity.
Antimuscarinic activity - inhibit vagal effects on SA and AV nodes.
Degree of antimuscarinic activity of the class IA Na channel blockers
Disopyamidine - highest
Quinidine - intermediate
Procainamide - least
Quinidine - indications
Malaria and fever. Suppress supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias.
Quinidine - adverse effects
Diarrhea.
Torsade de pointes. Reduced cardiac output causing syncope.
Thrombocytopenia.
High doses: tinnitus, dizziness, blurred vision
Procainamide - Adverse effects
Long-term: Reversible lupus like syndrome (arthralgia, butterfly rash)
Procainamide - indications
Acute ventricular arrhythmia
Disopyramide - indications
Life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (sustained VT)
Disopyramide - contraindications
Asymptomatic ventricular premature contractions. Heart failure and elderly patients.
Lidocaine - effects
Has more pronounced suppression of conduction in ischemic tissue than normal tissue. (little effect on normal tissue)
Lidocaine - adverse effects
High serum level: nervousness, tremor, paresthesia.
Toxic doses: cardiac arrest.
Lidocaine - interactions
Metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes.
Lidocaine - indications
Local anesthesia. Refractory VT or ventricular arrhythmias associated with cardiac surgery.
Mexiletine - indications
Long-term suppression of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.
Class IC antiarrhythmic drugs - benefits
Do not prolong QT interval substantially.
Class IC Adverse Effects
Flecainide, Propafenone
No change to AP, Significantly increases QRS
- Use dependence (greater @ faster rates)
- Stop if QRS prolongs >25%
- Slows conduction and promotes reentry
Flecainide - indications
Supraventricular arrhythmias, documented life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.
Flecainide - contraindications
MI / cardiac scar
Proarrhythmia — Flecainide was one of two class IC antiarrhythmic medications included in the CAST trial, which evaluated patients with asymptomatic, non-life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias who were six days to two years after an acute myocardial infarction (MI). Flecainide had an apparent proarrhythmic effect with a significantly increased incidence of mortality plus nonfatal cardiac arrest (6.1 percent versus 2.3 percent in the placebo group).
It has been proposed that the increase in malignant arrhythmias was due to the use of flecainide in the setting of ischemia and/or cardiac structural abnormalities (eg scar from the prior infarction).
Flecainide - adverse effects
Reentrant VT, bronchospasm, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, seizures.
Conduction abnormalities — Due to its significant effect on sodium channels, flecainide prolongs depolarization and can slow conduction in the AV node, the His-Purkinje system, and below. These changes can lead to prolongation of the PR interval, increased QRS duration, and first- and second-degree heart block. In addition, profound sinus bradycardia can be induced in patients with preexisting sinus node disease. In contrast, flecainide does not affect repolarization and therefore has little effect on the QT interval.
- Use dependence (greater @ faster rates)
- Stop if QRS prolongs >25%
- Slows conduction and promotes reentry
- Can slow atrial fibrillation into atrial flutter allowing 1:1 conduction through the AV node
Propafenone - indications
Long-term suppression of supraventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. Life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (sustained ventricular tachycardia).
Propafenone - adverse effects
Ventricular arrhythmias, agranulocytosis, anemia, thrombocytopenia.
Has a selective sodium channel blocker with use-dependent properties and can increase the risk of proarrhythmic at higher heart rates.
- Use dependence (greater @ faster rates)
- Stop if QRS prolongs >25%
- Slows conduction and promotes reentry
Class III antiarrhythmic drugs - 5 drugs
Amiodarone and dronedarone
Dofetilide
Ibutilide
Sotalol
Class III antiarrhythmic drugs - general MOA and effects
Block K rectifier currents during phase 3. This causes prolongation of the ventricular action potential and refractory period.
Do not slow ventr conduction velocity or increase QRS duration significantly (except amiodarone).
Amiodarone - Classification
Organic iodine compound, class III antiarrhythmic drug
Amiodarone - onset and duration of action
Onset after 2 weeks (unless loading dose is given). Half-life is about 40 days (ranges between 26-107 days).