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Mechanisms of Cardiac Arrhythmias

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Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Part of the book series: Current Cardiovascular Therapy ((CCT))

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Abstract

Cardiac myocytes are specialized cells responsible for both mechanical contraction and conduction of electrical impulses. Some myocytes demonstrate automaticity, defined by the capability of cardiac cells to undergo spontaneous diastolic depolarization and to initiate an electrical impulse in the absence of external electrical stimulation [1]. Spontaneously originated action potentials (AP) are propagated through cardiac myocytes, which are excitable, referring to their ability to respond to a stimulus with a regenerative AP [2]. Propagation of the cardiac impulse is enabled by gap junctions. Gap junctions are membrane structures composed of multiple intercellular ion channels that facilitate chemical and electrical communication between cells. Cardiac AP are regionally distinct due to each myocyte type expressing different numbers and types of ion channels [3].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrophysiology Laboratory and Arrhythmia Unit, Hospital Monteprincipe, Grupo HM Hospitales, University CEU-San Pablo, Madrid, Spain

    Teresa Barrio-Lopez & Jesús Almendral

Authors
  1. Teresa Barrio-Lopez
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  2. Jesús Almendral
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Correspondence to Jesús Almendral .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Sabadell, Institut d’Investigació i Innovació I3PT, University Autonoma of Barcelona, Sabadell, Spain

    Antoni Martínez-Rubio

  2. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, CIBERCV, Madrid, Spain

    Juan Tamargo

  3. “Carol Davila” University of Medicine, Colentina University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania

    Gheorghe- Andrei Dan

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Barrio-Lopez, T., Almendral, J. (2020). Mechanisms of Cardiac Arrhythmias. In: Martínez-Rubio, A., Tamargo, J., Dan, G . (eds) Antiarrhythmic Drugs. Current Cardiovascular Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34893-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34893-9_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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