Overview of Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Classes

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the basic mechanism of the 4 classes of anti-arrhythmic drugs?

Class 1: Sodium Channel Blockers. Class 2: Beta Blockers. Class 3: Drugs that prolong cardiac action potential. Class 4: Calcium channel blockers.

Of the 4 classes of anti-arrhythmic drugs, which ones affect the electrical activity of the heart and which ones modify the myocardial response to electrical activity?

Class 2 & 4 (Beta Blockers & Calcium Blockers) modify electrical activity; Class 1 & 3 modify myocardial response.

Which classes of anti-arrhythmic drugs affect the nodes and which ones affect the myocardium?

Class 2 & 4 affect the nodes; Class 1 & 3 affect the myocardium.

What are the Class 1a drugs, what is their mechanism of action, and how do they influence the myocardial action potential?

<p>Class 1a drugs are sodium channel blockers including Disopyramide, Quinidine, and Procainamide. They decrease the slope of phase 0 depolarization and increase action potential duration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

With regards to myocardium, what subclass of Class 1 drugs results in a decreased phase 0 slope and can potentially increase action potential duration?

<p>Class 1a drugs decrease the upslope of Phase 0 and may or may not increase action potential duration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the effects of Class 1a anti-arrhythmic drugs on myocardial action potentials, how do you expect them to alter the EKG?

<p>Class 1a drugs prolong phase 0 depolarization, reflected as widening of the QRS complex and lengthening of the QT interval.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the Class 1b drugs, what is their mechanism of action, and how do they influence the myocardial action potential?

<p>Class 1b drugs are sodium channel blockers including Lidocaine, Mexiletine, Tocanide, and Phenytoin. They decrease the slope of phase 0 and shorten the action potential duration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

With regards to the myocardium, which subclass of Class 1 drugs results in a shortening of the action potential duration?

<p>Class 1b drugs shorten the myocardial action potential and decrease the slope of phase 0 depolarization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the effects of Class 1b anti-arrhythmic drugs on myocardial action potentials, how do you expect them to alter the EKG?

<p>Class 1b drugs slow phase 0 depolarization and shorten the myocardial action potential duration, leading to a normal QRS complex duration and a decrease in the QT interval.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the Class 1c drugs, what is their mechanism of action, and how do they influence the myocardial action potential?

<p>Class 1c drugs are sodium channel blockers including Flecainide, Propafenone, and Moricizine. They decrease the slope of phase 0 depolarization and do not increase the action potential duration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

With regards to the myocardium, what subclass of Class 1 drugs will result in a slower myocardial depolarization, but not affect the action potential duration?

<p>Class 1c drugs will slow down phase 0 depolarization but will have no effect on action potential duration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the effects of Class 1c anti-arrhythmic drugs on myocardial action potentials, how do you expect them to alter the EKG?

<p>Class 1c drugs will slow down phase 0 depolarization, causing the QRS complex to widen while QT interval remains unchanged or only slightly changed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given that Class 1 anti-arrhythmic drugs are sodium channel blockers, what conformational state do these drugs bind most strongly to the sodium channel?

<p>Class 1 anti-arrhythmic drugs bind sodium channels strongest when they are activated or in their refractory periods.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain why Procainamide increases repolarization time (increased action potential duration) if this drug is a sodium channel blocker associated with depolarization?

<p>Procainamide has secondary blockade effects on potassium efflux channels, resulting in prolongation of phases 2 and 3 of myocardium and phase 3 of the nodes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards are hidden until you start studying

Study Notes

Overview of Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Classes

  • Four classes of anti-arrhythmic drugs:
    • Class 1: Sodium Channel Blockers
    • Class 2: Beta Blockers
    • Class 3: Drugs prolonging cardiac action potential
    • Class 4: Calcium Channel Blockers

Effects on Electrical Activity vs. Myocardial Response

  • Class 2 (Beta Blockers) and Class 4 (Calcium Channel Blockers) primarily influence the conduction system's electrical activity, mainly at SA and AV nodes.
  • Class 1 (Sodium Channel Blockers) and Class 3 drugs affect myocardial response to electrical depolarization.

Classification Based on Tissue Effects

  • Class 2 and 4 reduce conduction velocity of the SA and AV nodes.
  • Class 1 and 3 drugs modify myocardial action potentials.

Class 1a Drugs

  • Examples: Disopyramide, Quinidine, Procainamide
  • Mechanism: Sodium channel blockers that decrease the slope of phase 0 depolarization.
  • Effect on Action Potential: Increase action potential duration.

Class 1a Effects on EKG

  • Prolong phase 0 depolarization, leading to:
    • Widening of the QRS complex (indicates altered phase 0)
    • Lengthening of the QT interval (indicates increased action potential duration)

Class 1b Drugs

  • Examples: Lidocaine, Mexiletine, Tocanide, Phenytoin
  • Mechanism: Sodium channel blockers that decrease the slope of phase 0 depolarization.
  • Effect on Action Potential: Shorten action potential duration.

Class 1b Effects on EKG

  • Slow phase 0 depolarization and shorten myocardial action potential:
    • Typically results in a normal QRS complex duration.
    • Decrease in QT interval (due to shortened action potential duration).

Class 1c Drugs

  • Examples: Flecainide, Propafenone, Moricizine
  • Mechanism: Sodium channel blockers that decrease the slope of phase 0 depolarization.
  • Effect on Action Potential: Do not increase action potential duration.

Class 1c Effects on EKG

  • Slowing of phase 0 depolarization without affecting action potential duration:
    • Widening of the QRS complex.
    • QT interval remains unchanged or slightly altered.

Sodium Channel Binding Dynamics

  • Class 1 anti-arrhythmic drugs bind sodium channels most effectively when they are activated or in their refractory state, rather than in the resting state.

Unique Effects of Procainamide

  • Although it's a sodium channel blocker, procainamide prolongs repolarization time (increased action potential duration) due to secondary blockade of potassium efflux channels, affecting phases 2 and 3 in myocardium and phase 3 in nodes.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

More Like This

Anti-arrhythmic Drugs Overview
10 questions
Antiarrhythmic Drugs Overview
32 questions

Antiarrhythmic Drugs Overview

HarmoniousLapSteelGuitar avatar
HarmoniousLapSteelGuitar
Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser