antiarrhythmic

antiarrhythmic /an·ti·ar·rhyth·mic/ (-ah-rith´mik)

1. preventing or alleviating cardiac arrhythmias.

2. an agent that so acts.

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an·ti·ar·rhyth·mic (nt--rmk, nt-)

adj.

Preventing or alleviating irregularities in the force or rhythm of the heart.

n.

An antiarrythmic drug.

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antiarrhythmic

[-ərith′mik]

Etymology: Gk, anti + rhythmos, rhythm

1 pertaining to a procedure or substance that prevents, alleviates, or corrects an abnormal cardiac rhythm.

2 an antiarrhythmic agent. A defibrillator that delivers a precordial electric shock is often used to restore a normal rhythm to rapid, irregular atrial or ventricular contractions. A pacemaker may be implanted in a patient with an extremely slow heart rate or another arrhythmia. The electrode catheter of an external pacemaker may be threaded through a vein to the heart in cases of ventricular standstill or complete heart block. The major antiarrhythmic drugs are lidocaine hydrochloride, and a combination of disopyramide phosphate, procainamide hydrochloride, and quinidine. The antiadrenergic blocking agent propranolol hydrochloride may be used in treating arrhythmias. Isoproterenol hydrochloride is indicated for complete heart block and ventricular arrhythmias requiring an increased force of cardiac contractions to establish a normal rhythm. Atropine may be used in the treatment of bradycardia, a sedative in the treatment of tachycardia, and digitalis in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Calcium channel blockers control arrhythmias by inhibiting calcium ion influx across the plasma membrane of cardiac muscle, thus slowing atrioventricular conduction and prolonging the effective refractory period within the AV node. See also arrhythmia.

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antiarrhythmic [an″te-ah-rith´mik]

1. preventing or alleviating cardiac arrhythmias.

2. an agent that has this effect.

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antiarrhythmic

1. preventing or alleviating cardiac arrhythmias.

2. an agent that prevents or alleviates cardiac arrhythmias.

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antiarrhythmic drugs

include quinidine, procainamide, lidocaine, beta-adrenergic blockers such as propranolol, autonomic drugs including atropine and epinephrine, and digitalis.

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antiarrhythmic

adjective Referring to an agent or mechanism that counters cardiac arrhythmias noun An agent that prevents or ameliorates cardiac arrhythmias