Gap junctions enhancer combined with Vaughan Williams class III antiarrhythmic drugs, a promising antiarrhythmic method?
Arrhythmias is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Current antiarrhythmic drugs are limited by unsatisfactory efficacy and adverse effects such as proarrhythmias. Reentry mechanism plays an important role in persistence of arrhythmias. Reentry can only continue when reentry path-length is longer than cardiac wavelength which is equal to the product of conduction velocity (CV) and effective refractory period (ERP). Gap junctions uncoupling is associated with proarrhythmic CV slowing and transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) increasing in many cardiac diseases. Vaughan Williams class III antiarrhythmic drugs prolong ERP with an augmented TDR which is the main mechanism of the proarrhythmic effects. Gap junctions enhancer can augment CV and diminish TDR. As a result, gap junctions enhancer combined with class III drugs may be a promising antiarrhythmic method.
Li
Lian-dong
LD
Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China.
Zhang
Cun-tai
CT
Ruan
Lei
L
Ni
Ming-ke
MK
Quan
Xiao-qing
XQ
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents