Biomaterial Database

Beta-blockers as antiarrhythmic agents. 2006

S Zicha, and Y Tsuji, and A Shiroshita-Takeshita, and S Nattel

Montreal Heart Institute, 5000 Belanger East, Montreal Quebec, HIT 1C8, Canada. stanley.nattel@icm-mhi.org

Drugs that suppress beta-adrenergic signaling by competitively inhibiting agonist binding to beta-adrenergic receptors ("beta-blockers") have important antiarrhythmic properties. They differ from most other antiarrhythmic agents by not directly modifying ion channel function; rather, they prevent the arrhythmia-promoting actions of beta-adrenergic stimulation. beta-Blockers are particularly useful in preventing sudden death due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias associated with acute myocardial ischemia, congenital long QT syndrome, and congestive heart failure. They are also quite valuable in controlling the ventricular rate in patients with atrial fibrillation. This chapter reviews the properties of beta-adrenoceptor signaling, the basic mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias on which beta-blockers act, the ion channel mediators of beta-adrenergic responses, the evidence for clinical antiarrhythmic indications for beta-blocker therapy and the specific pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of beta-blockers that differentiate the various agents of this class.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006321	Heart	The hollow, muscular organ that maintains the circulation of the blood.	Hearts
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000200	Action Potentials	Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli.	Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000319	Adrenergic beta-Antagonists	Drugs that bind to but do not activate beta-adrenergic receptors thereby blocking the actions of beta-adrenergic agonists. Adrenergic beta-antagonists are used for treatment of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, angina pectoris, glaucoma, migraine headaches, and anxiety.	Adrenergic beta-Antagonist,Adrenergic beta-Receptor Blockader,Adrenergic beta-Receptor Blockaders,beta-Adrenergic Antagonist,beta-Adrenergic Blocker,beta-Adrenergic Blocking Agent,beta-Adrenergic Blocking Agents,beta-Adrenergic Receptor Blockader,beta-Adrenergic Receptor Blockaders,beta-Adrenoceptor Antagonist,beta-Blockers, Adrenergic,beta-Adrenergic Antagonists,beta-Adrenergic Blockers,beta-Adrenoceptor Antagonists,Adrenergic beta Antagonist,Adrenergic beta Antagonists,Adrenergic beta Receptor Blockader,Adrenergic beta Receptor Blockaders,Adrenergic beta-Blockers,Agent, beta-Adrenergic Blocking,Agents, beta-Adrenergic Blocking,Antagonist, beta-Adrenergic,Antagonist, beta-Adrenoceptor,Antagonists, beta-Adrenergic,Antagonists, beta-Adrenoceptor,Blockader, Adrenergic beta-Receptor,Blockader, beta-Adrenergic Receptor,Blockaders, Adrenergic beta-Receptor,Blockaders, beta-Adrenergic Receptor,Blocker, beta-Adrenergic,Blockers, beta-Adrenergic,Blocking Agent, beta-Adrenergic,Blocking Agents, beta-Adrenergic,Receptor Blockader, beta-Adrenergic,Receptor Blockaders, beta-Adrenergic,beta Adrenergic Antagonist,beta Adrenergic Antagonists,beta Adrenergic Blocker,beta Adrenergic Blockers,beta Adrenergic Blocking Agent,beta Adrenergic Blocking Agents,beta Adrenergic Receptor Blockader,beta Adrenergic Receptor Blockaders,beta Adrenoceptor Antagonist,beta Adrenoceptor Antagonists,beta Blockers, Adrenergic,beta-Antagonist, Adrenergic,beta-Antagonists, Adrenergic,beta-Receptor Blockader, Adrenergic,beta-Receptor Blockaders, Adrenergic
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000889	Anti-Arrhythmia Agents	Agents used for the treatment or prevention of cardiac arrhythmias. They may affect the polarization-repolarization phase of the action potential, its excitability or refractoriness, or impulse conduction or membrane responsiveness within cardiac fibers. Anti-arrhythmia agents are often classed into four main groups according to their mechanism of action: sodium channel blockade, beta-adrenergic blockade, repolarization prolongation, or calcium channel blockade.	Anti-Arrhythmia Agent,Anti-Arrhythmia Drug,Anti-Arrhythmic,Antiarrhythmia Agent,Antiarrhythmia Drug,Antiarrhythmic Drug,Antifibrillatory Agent,Antifibrillatory Agents,Cardiac Depressant,Cardiac Depressants,Myocardial Depressant,Myocardial Depressants,Anti-Arrhythmia Drugs,Anti-Arrhythmics,Antiarrhythmia Agents,Antiarrhythmia Drugs,Antiarrhythmic Drugs,Agent, Anti-Arrhythmia,Agent, Antiarrhythmia,Agent, Antifibrillatory,Agents, Anti-Arrhythmia,Agents, Antiarrhythmia,Agents, Antifibrillatory,Anti Arrhythmia Agent,Anti Arrhythmia Agents,Anti Arrhythmia Drug,Anti Arrhythmia Drugs,Anti Arrhythmic,Anti Arrhythmics,Depressant, Cardiac,Depressant, Myocardial,Depressants, Cardiac,Depressants, Myocardial,Drug, Anti-Arrhythmia,Drug, Antiarrhythmia,Drug, Antiarrhythmic,Drugs, Anti-Arrhythmia,Drugs, Antiarrhythmia,Drugs, Antiarrhythmic
D001145	Arrhythmias, Cardiac	Any disturbances of the normal rhythmic beating of the heart or MYOCARDIAL CONTRACTION. Cardiac arrhythmias can be classified by the abnormalities in HEART RATE, disorders of electrical impulse generation, or impulse conduction.	Arrhythmia,Arrythmia,Cardiac Arrhythmia,Cardiac Arrhythmias,Cardiac Dysrhythmia,Arrhythmia, Cardiac,Dysrhythmia, Cardiac
D015221	Potassium Channels	Cell membrane glycoproteins that are selectively permeable to potassium ions. At least eight major groups of K channels exist and they are made up of dozens of different subunits.	Ion Channels, Potassium,Ion Channel, Potassium,Potassium Channel,Potassium Ion Channels,Channel, Potassium,Channel, Potassium Ion,Channels, Potassium,Channels, Potassium Ion,Potassium Ion Channel
D018118	Chloride Channels	Cell membrane glycoproteins that form channels to selectively pass chloride ions. Nonselective blockers include FENAMATES; ETHACRYNIC ACID; and TAMOXIFEN.	CaCC,Calcium-Activated Chloride Channel,Chloride Ion Channel,Chlorine Channel,Ion Channels, Chloride,CaCCs,Calcium-Activated Chloride Channels,Chloride Channel,Chloride Ion Channels,Chlorine Channels,Ion Channel, Chloride,Calcium Activated Chloride Channel,Calcium Activated Chloride Channels,Channel, Calcium-Activated Chloride,Channel, Chloride,Channel, Chloride Ion,Channel, Chlorine,Channels, Calcium-Activated Chloride,Channels, Chloride,Channels, Chloride Ion,Channels, Chlorine,Chloride Channel, Calcium-Activated,Chloride Channels, Calcium-Activated
D018342	Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1	A subclass of beta-adrenergic receptors (RECEPTORS, ADRENERGIC, BETA). The adrenergic beta-1 receptors are equally sensitive to EPINEPHRINE and NOREPINEPHRINE and bind the agonist DOBUTAMINE and the antagonist METOPROLOL with high affinity. They are found in the HEART, juxtaglomerular cells, and in the central and peripheral nervous systems.	Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor,Adrenergic beta-1 Receptors,Receptors, beta-1 Adrenergic,beta-1 Adrenergic Receptors,Adrenergic Receptor, beta-1,Receptor, Adrenergic, beta-1,beta 1 Adrenergic Receptor,Adrenergic Receptor, beta 1,Adrenergic Receptors, beta-1,Adrenergic beta 1 Receptor,Adrenergic beta 1 Receptors,Receptor, Adrenergic beta-1,Receptor, beta-1 Adrenergic,Receptors, Adrenergic beta-1,Receptors, beta 1 Adrenergic,beta 1 Adrenergic Receptors,beta-1 Adrenergic Receptor,beta-1 Receptor, Adrenergic,beta-1 Receptors, Adrenergic