title: Advanced cardiac life support controversy: where do antiarrhythmic agents fit in?
abstract: Approximately half of all cardiovascular fatalities are attributable to sudden cardiac death, and the majority of sudden cardiac deaths result from ventricular fibrillation (VF). Antiarrhythmic agents are needed to manage refractory VF and ventricular tachycardia (VT); the primary reason for their administration is to prevent recurrence of VF and to abolish VT. The American Heart Association recommends lidocaine hydrochloride as a first-line antiarrhythmic agent in the advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) setting, followed by bretylium tosylate. Although the newly approved intravenous antiarrhythmic agent, amiodarone hydrochloride, may potentially be effective in ACLS, studies are needed to document its clinical benefit in this setting. Such studies are currently under way to document this potential use.
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Hartford, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chow
mesh_terms: D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001949:Bretylium Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D001949:Bretylium Compounds; D008012:Lidocaine; D000638:Amiodarone; C045166:bretylium