Why is lidocaine used for arrhythmias?
Lidocaine is a class IB antiarrhythmic drug used in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias, specifically ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Lidocaine blocks cardiac sodium channels shortening the action potential and is used intravenously only for arrhythmia.
What is the drug of choice for ventricular arrhythmias?
Amiodarone is the drug of choice for the treatment of hemodynamically unstable VT that is refractory to other antiarrhythmic agents.
Why is lidocaine ineffective in atrial arrhythmias?
By decreasing automaticity, lidocaine prevents or terminates ventricular arrhythmias caused by accelerated ectopic foci. Lidocaine abolishes reentrant ventricular arrhythmias by decreasing action potential duration and conduction time of Purkinje fibers, thus reducing the nonuniformity of action.
Is lidocaine used for ventricular fibrillation?
Lidocaine has traditionally been the antiarrhythmic drug of choice for the treatment of shock-resistant ventricular fibrillation, as well as for the prevention of recurrence of ventricular fibrillation after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
When is lidocaine used to treat ventricular tachycardia?
Lidocaine administered intravenously has been highly effective in terminating ventricular premature beats and ventricular tachycardia occurring during general surgery, during and after cardiac surgery, following acute myocardial infarction, and in the course of digitalis intoxication.
What is the best treatment for ventricular tachycardia?
Treatment for sustained ventricular tachycardia Treatment involves restoring a normal heart rate by delivering a jolt of electricity to the heart. This may be done using a defibrillator or with a treatment called cardioversion.
What class of antiarrhythmic is lidocaine?
Lidocaine is an IV class IB antiarrhythmic that increases the electrical stimulation threshold of the ventricle, suppressing the automaticity of conduction through the tissue. Although lidocaine may terminate VT successfully, it may increase the overall mortality in peri-infarction VT.
How does lidocaine work as an antiarrhythmic?
Lidocaine is an antiarrhythmic medication of the class Ib type. This means it works by blocking sodium channels and thus decreasing the rate of contractions of the heart. When injected near nerves, the nerves cannot conduct signals to or from the brain.
What is lidocaine used for in emergency?
Lidocaine is a local anesthetic (numbing medication) that is used to numb an area of your body to help reduce pain or discomfort caused by invasive medical procedures such as surgery, needle punctures, or insertion of a catheter or breathing tube.
Does lidocaine treat SVT?
Lidocaine is used frequently as a first-line agent to treat wide-complex tachycardias. There is a widely held, albeit incorrect, idea that lidocaine, like adenosine (see below), has diagnostic utility. In fact, lidocaine is not an effective or appropriate treatment for SVT.
Can lidocaine be used in arrhythmia?
Lidocaine is an IV antiarrhythmic agent that has moderate efficacy against ventricular arrhythmias. It is particularly useful in the setting of myocardial infarction or ischemia. It may be used as an alternative to amiodarone in the management of recurrent or shock refractory ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia.
How is lidocaine used in postoperative cardiac surgery?
Although the use of lidocaine as an antiarrhythmic in postoperative cardiac surgery has been investigated, 3 little objective information is available regarding the therapeutic and toxic doses in patients with myocardial infarction. Its effect on ventricular tachycardia can readily be shown, but the evaluation . . .
Which is the most commonly used drug for ventricular arrhhmia?
This article has no abstract; the first 100 words appear below. LIDOCAINE (Xylocaine) has become one of the most frequently used drugs in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias, particularly those associated with acute myocardial infarction.
What are the clinical features of cardiac arrhythmias?
CLINICAL FEATURESCLINICAL FEATURES• Pt may be asymptomatic• Severe bradycardia may causeweakness, confusion & syncope• Atrial & ventricular ectopics aremore apparent to occur with slowsinus rate.CardiacCardiacarrhythmiasarrhythmias 17.
What can be done for ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation?
ECG recognition and treatment of the various tachycardias will be explored. Focus is given to the use of RF ablation as a treatment for certain VTs. PVC’s can lead to ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation in individuals with ischemic or damaged hearts.