Look for Drugs and Conditions

Arrhythmia is irregular heart beat so heart is unable to pump out blood adequately. It can occur at any age, but more common as one grows old. Anti-arrhythmic are used to control arrhythmia. They are classified according to their effects on the electrical behaviour of myocardial cells during activity.

  • Class I: membrane-stabilising - procainamide.
  • Class II: reduce adrenergic input - beta-blockers.
  • Class III: potassium blockers - eg, amiodarone, sotalol.
  • Class IV: calcium influx blockers - eg, verapamil (but not dihydropyridines).

Sotalol has both Class II and Class III actions.


Ad 5