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Drug Treatment for Arrhythmia

An arrhythmia is any abnormal heart rhythm. Doctors can diagnose an abnormal heart rhythm in several ways including the use of a heart monitor worn for a 24-hour period or using one that's applied only when the patient is experiencing symptoms of an abnormal rhythm. Doctors also discover these arrhythmias with the use of an ECG or electrocardiograph.

  1. Calcium Channel Blockers

    • Calcium channel blockers stop calcium from going into the heart muscle cells to regulate how these muscles contract and produce a heart beat.

    Beta-blockers

    • Beta-blockers slow down the heart rate.

    Anticoagulants

    • Anticoagulants keep the blood from clotting and are given to patients with the arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation.

    Other Antiarrhythmic Drugs

    • Some anti-arrhythmic drugs do not fall under the previous classifications but are used to restore normal heart rhythm. These drugs include Amiodarone, Lidocaine, Dofetillide, Propanalol and Sotalol.

    Method of Delivery of Antiarrhythmia Drugs

    • Antiarrhythmic drugs are delivered in a pill given by mouth or directly into the bloodstream through an IV needle.

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