Getty Images / Gorica Poturak
How Are Heart Arrhythmias Treated?
Heart arrhythmiasare treated with various medications to restore normal heart rhythm, control heart rate, and prevent complications.
The choice of medication depends on the punch in of arrhythmia, its severity, and the persons condition.
Getty Images / Gorica Poturak
Classes of medications used for heart arrhythmias include the following.
The term “arrhythmia” refers to any change from the heart’s normal electrical impulses.
Sodium is one of the electrically charged particles that flows into the cell when a heartbeat occurs.
Sodium channel blockers are used to treat ventricular arrhythmia.
Class I antiarrhythmics should not be used in people withheart failure.
This prolongs the repolarization phase (a phase where the cell becomes more negatively charged).
In other words, they are better at slowing down the heart than changing the electrical impulses.
They work by blocking beta-adrenergic receptors.
They primarily treat high blood pressure, angina (chest pain), and certain arrhythmias.
These drugs cause relaxation and dilation of blood vessels, reducing heart workload and oxygen demand.
CCBs are divided into two main categories: dihydropyridines (DHPs) and non-dihydropyridines (non-DHPs).
Examples of DHPs include:
Non-DHPs include Verelan (verapamil) and Cardizem (diltiazem).
Anticoagulants interfere with the clotting cascade, a series of events involving factors that lead to clotting.
This can occur in your gastrointestinal tract, nose, and skin (bruising).
For those on warfarin, better to eat a consistent diet involving a similar amount ofvitamin K-containing foods regularly.
It is best to keep vitamin K amounts within a normal range and avoid any large variations in consumption.
Digoxin is an example of a cardiac glycoside.
It may cause some stomach-related side effects, such as nausea or vomiting.
Catheters are inserted into the heart to map electrical activity.
If an abnormal pathway is found, it can be ablated (destroyed) using radiofrequency energy or cryotherapy.
Implantable Devices
Pacemakersare small devices implanted under the skin to help control abnormal heart rhythms.
They send electrical impulses to stimulate the heart to beat at a normal rate.
Pacemakers are typically used to treat bradycardia (slow heart rate) and heart block.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs)are devices implanted under the skin.
They monitor heart rhythms and deliver shocks if a dangerous rhythm is detected to restore normal rhythm.
ICDs are used to treat ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
The choice of drugs depends on the punch in and severity of the arrhythmia.
The author would like to recognize and thank Norma Ponce, PharmD, for contributing to this article.
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