Biomaterial Database

The role of antiarrhythmic drug therapy for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. 2008

Ganesh S Kamath, and Suneet Mittal

Al-Sabah Arrhythmia Institute, New York, NY, USA.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for more than 300,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. The utility of antiarrhythmic drugs in survivors of SCD (secondary prevention) is limited because of their incomplete efficacy and long-term toxicity. Efforts to target primary prevention of SCD have focused on left ventricular dysfunction in conjunction with congestive heart failure. Antiarrhythmic drugs are not able to decrease mortality in this patient population either; in fact, certain drugs may actually increase overall mortality. In both primary and secondary prevention patients, only implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation is associated with improved survival. Antiarrhythmic drugs like azimilide, dofetilide, sotalol, and amiodarone can be used as adjunct treatment for management of atrial arrhythmias and to decrease implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks. There is an unmet need for more effective and less toxic antiarrhythmic medications.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009203	Myocardial Infarction	NECROSIS of the MYOCARDIUM caused by an obstruction of the blood supply to the heart (CORONARY CIRCULATION).	Cardiovascular Stroke,Heart Attack,Myocardial Infarct,Cardiovascular Strokes,Heart Attacks,Infarct, Myocardial,Infarction, Myocardial,Infarctions, Myocardial,Infarcts, Myocardial,Myocardial Infarctions,Myocardial Infarcts,Stroke, Cardiovascular,Strokes, Cardiovascular
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D004554	Electric Countershock	An electrical current applied to the HEART to terminate a CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA.	Cardiac Electroversion,Cardioversion,Defibrillation, Electric,Electroversion, Cardiac,Electrical Cardioversion,Electroversion Therapy,Therapy, Electroversion,Cardiac Electroversions,Cardioversion, Electrical,Cardioversions,Cardioversions, Electrical,Countershock, Electric,Countershocks, Electric,Defibrillations, Electric,Electric Countershocks,Electric Defibrillation,Electric Defibrillations,Electrical Cardioversions,Electroversion Therapies,Electroversions, Cardiac,Therapies, Electroversion
D006331	Heart Diseases	Pathological conditions involving the HEART including its structural and functional abnormalities.	Cardiac Disorders,Heart Disorders,Cardiac Diseases,Cardiac Disease,Cardiac Disorder,Heart Disease,Heart Disorder
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
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
D016757	Death, Sudden, Cardiac	Unexpected rapid natural death due to cardiovascular collapse within one hour of initial symptoms. It is usually caused by the worsening of existing heart diseases. The sudden onset of symptoms, such as CHEST PAIN and CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS, particularly VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA, can lead to the loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest followed by biological death. (from Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, 7th ed., 2005)	Cardiac Sudden Death,Sudden Cardiac Death,Cardiac Arrest, Sudden,Sudden Cardiac Arrest,Arrest, Sudden Cardiac,Cardiac Arrests, Sudden,Cardiac Death, Sudden,Death, Cardiac Sudden,Death, Sudden Cardiac,Sudden Death, Cardiac
D016896	Treatment Outcome	Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series.	Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes
D017147	Defibrillators, Implantable	Implantable devices which continuously monitor the electrical activity of the heart and automatically detect and terminate ventricular tachycardia (TACHYCARDIA, VENTRICULAR) and VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION. They consist of an impulse generator, batteries, and electrodes.	Cardioverter-Defibrillators, Implantable,Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator,Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators,Implantable Defibrillators,Cardioverter Defibrillator, Implantable,Cardioverter Defibrillators, Implantable,Cardioverter-Defibrillator, Implantable,Defibrillator, Implantable,Defibrillator, Implantable Cardioverter,Defibrillators, Implantable Cardioverter,Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators,Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator,Implantable Defibrillator
D055502	Secondary Prevention	The prevention of recurrences or exacerbations of a disease or complications of its therapy.	Disease Prevention, Secondary,Early Therapy,Relapse Prevention,Secondary Disease Prevention,Disease Preventions, Secondary,Early Therapies,Prevention, Relapse,Prevention, Secondary,Prevention, Secondary Disease,Preventions, Relapse,Preventions, Secondary,Preventions, Secondary Disease,Relapse Preventions,Secondary Disease Preventions,Secondary Preventions,Therapies, Early,Therapy, Early