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How to Induce Arrhythmias with Ephedrine?

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Arrhythmia Induction in the EP Lab

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Abstract

Ephedrine is an alpha-beta agonist widely used for nasal decongestion, nervous system stimulation, and spinal anesthesia during cesarean section. Ephedra was used more than 5000 years ago in China and India for treating fever, flu, cold, chills, nasal congestion, coughing, and wheezing. Pseudoephedrine is an isomer of ephedrine. Ephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug that acts both on α- and β -adrenergic receptors. It directly stimulates α1, β 1, and β 2 adrenergic receptors. Furthermore, it indirectly stimulates the release of noradrenaline from the storage sites. The most important effects are the increase in the heart rate, increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, peripheral vasoconstriction, and relaxation of smooth muscle cells of bronchi. By adrenergic stimulation, ephedrine shortens atrial and ventricular refractory periods, permitting the development of both automatic and reentrant arrhythmias.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bispmotalagatan 2 lgh 1301, Motala, Sweden

    Arash Moosavi-Shalheh

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  1. Arash Moosavi-Shalheh
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Electrophysiology Laboratory, Rehabilitation Hospital, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy 5th Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology-Rehabilitation, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Gabriel Cismaru

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Moosavi-Shalheh, A. (2019). How to Induce Arrhythmias with Ephedrine?. In: Cismaru, G. (eds) Arrhythmia Induction in the EP Lab. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92729-9_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92729-9_16

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-92728-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-92729-9

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