[Clinical pharmacology of the new antiarrhythmia agents].
Antiarrhythmic drugs (ADs) are the mainstay in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Arrhythmias merit treatment for the relief of symptoms and for the prolongation of survival for decreasing arrhythmic deaths. Since class I ADs can increase arrhythmia mortality in patients with coronary artery disease the interest has shifted to class III ADs, particularly those with greater effect at fast heart rates or with greater selectivity for atrial tissue. The recognition that some cardiac arrhythmias can be attributed to variable expression of specific genes or variability in the function of their protein products offers new perspectives for developing new ADs Moreover, the finding that heart disease alters electrophysiological properties of cardiac tissue suggests that we must target the arrhythmogenic substrate rather than its final electrical product. Advances in molecular genetics and electrophysiology will provide an opportunity to identify new targets and to design new ADs that are more effective and with lower risk of complications than those presently prescribed.
Tamargo
J
J
Departamento de Farmacología, Faculdad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense-28040 Madrid.
Delpón
E
E
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
Farmacología clínica de los nuevos medicamentos antiarrítmicos.