Catecholamines, potassium, and beta-blockade.
Stress-induced hypokalemia represents a transient risk factor for malignant arrhythmias in patients with coronary artery disease. The adrenergic nervous system serves as a major control system for the transport of potassium across the cell membrane. Nonselective beta-blockade presents epinephrine-mediated hypokalemia. This helps explain a possible mechanism for the significant improvement in morbidity and mortality rates of patients taking long-term propranolol therapy in the Beta Blocker Heart Attack Trial report.
D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012306:Risk; D013997:Time Factors
D011433:Propranolol; D004837:Epinephrine