Cardiovascular Pharmacology Concepts

Richard E. Klabunde, Ph.D.

Tutorial - Cardioinhibitory Drugs

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1. What are the effects of cardioinhibitory drugs on heart rate, electrical conduction within the heart, stroke volume, cardiac output and myocardial oxygen demand?  click here

2. For what cardiovascular disorders are cardioinhibitory drugs use and why are they effective for each of these conditions?  click here

3. What three mechanistic classes of drugs are cardioinhibitory?  click here

4. How do beta-blockers affect heart rate, conduction velocity, mechanical function and myocardial oxygen demand? What signal transduction pathways are involved in these effects?  click here

5. Define the following characteristics for beta-blockers:  click here
       - selective vs. non-selective beta-blockade
       - intrinsic sympathomimetic activity
       - membrane stabilizing activity

6. How do calcium-channel blockers affect heart rate, conduction velocity, mechanical function and myocardial oxygen demand? What cellular channels and signal transduction pathways are involved in these effects?   click here

7. Which two calcium-channel blockers have the greatest cardiac effects?  click here

8. How do central-acting sympatholytics depress cardiac function? How common is the use of these drugs?  click here

 Revised 08/29/06 

DISCLAIMER: These materials are for educational purposes only, and are not a source of medical decision-making advice.

© 2005-2008Ed  Richard E. Klabunde, all rights reserved.