Anti-arrhythmic drugs

Anti-arrhythmic drugs can be classified clinically into those that act on supraventricular arrhythmias (e.g. verapamil hydrochloride), those that act on both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias (e.g. amiodarone hydrochloride), and those that act on ventricular arrhythmias (e.g. lidocaine hydrochloride).

Anti-arrhythmic drugs can also be classified according to their effects on the electrical behaviour of myocardial cells during activity (the Vaughan Williams classification) although this classification is of less clinical significance:

• Class I: membrane stabilising drugs (e.g. lidocaine, flecainide)
• Class II: beta-blockers
• Class III: amiodarone; sotalol (also Class II)
• Class IV: calcium-channel blockers (includes verapamil but not dihydropyridines)

 

Indications

• Cardiac arrhythmias