Pharm II Exam 3 - Antiarrhythmic Drugs Exam Questions & Answers (Graded A+)

Pharm II Exam 3 - Antiarrhythmic Drugs Exam Questions & Answers (Graded A+) Pharm II Exam 3 - Antiarrhythmic Drugs Exam Questions & Answers (Graded A+) These are responsible for a majority of sudden cardiac deaths (67%) in the USA. - ANSWER - Ventricular arrhythmias This type of arrhythmia is responsible for 15% of all strokes in the USA. - ANSWER - Atrial fibrillation This is the most common cause of arrhythmias. - ANSWER - Coronary artery disease What are all the ways cardiac arrhythmias can be treated? - ANSWER - Surgical ablation Electronic pacemaker Cardioversion Pharmacologic agents (Or a combination of these) Although expensive and has some associated morbidity from proarrhythmia and mechanical malfunction, this prevents mortality from arrhythmia. - ANSWER - Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) Which is the only antiarrhythmic drug that has been shown to reduce mortality associated with arrhythmias? - ANSWER - Amiodarone Which is the best drug to treat atrial fibrillation and has properties from all 4 antiarrhythmic agent classes? - ANSWER - Amiodarone What is the primary tool for the diagnosis of arrhythmias? - ANSWER - Electrocardiogram (ECG) Developed in the later 1950s and early 1960s, what were the first antiarrhythmics of the modern era? - ANSWER - Beta blockers True/False: Some authors are against grouping antiarrhythmic drugs due to most of them having more than one mechanism of action. - ANSWER - True True/False: Antiarrhythmic drugs may actually produce or worsen arrhythmias. - ANSWER - True. Known as pro-arrhythmic action. *Which class of antiarrhythmic agents?* Denote sodium channel blocking activity, with resultant delay in phase 0 depolarization and/or altered action potential duration. - ANSWER - Class I