19.3 Implement Nutritional Strategies to Impact Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Wellness
4 min read•june 18, 2024
Calcium channel blockers are crucial medications for managing heart rhythm disorders. They work by blocking calcium entry into heart cells, slowing conduction and reducing contractility. This helps control rapid heart rates in conditions like atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardia.
These drugs also dilate coronary arteries, improving blood flow to the heart. While effective for treating dysrhythmias, they can cause side effects like low blood pressure and slow heart rate. Proper monitoring and patient education are essential for safe and effective use of calcium channel blockers.
Calcium Channel Blockers for Dysrhythmias
Mechanisms of calcium channel blockers
Top images from around the web for Mechanisms of calcium channel blockers
Cardiac Muscle and Electrical Activity | Anatomy and Physiology II View original
Is this image relevant?
Frontiers | Targeting Calcium Homeostasis in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: An Overview ... View original
Is this image relevant?
Calcium Homeostasis: Interactions of the Skeletal System and Other Organ Systems | Anatomy and ... View original
Is this image relevant?
Cardiac Muscle and Electrical Activity | Anatomy and Physiology II View original
Is this image relevant?
Frontiers | Targeting Calcium Homeostasis in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: An Overview ... View original
Is this image relevant?
1 of 3
Top images from around the web for Mechanisms of calcium channel blockers
Cardiac Muscle and Electrical Activity | Anatomy and Physiology II View original
Is this image relevant?
Frontiers | Targeting Calcium Homeostasis in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: An Overview ... View original
Is this image relevant?
Calcium Homeostasis: Interactions of the Skeletal System and Other Organ Systems | Anatomy and ... View original
Is this image relevant?
Cardiac Muscle and Electrical Activity | Anatomy and Physiology II View original
Is this image relevant?
Frontiers | Targeting Calcium Homeostasis in Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: An Overview ... View original
Is this image relevant?
1 of 3
Block L-type calcium channels in cardiac muscle cells
Reduce calcium influx during depolarization, which is necessary for muscle contraction
Decrease intracellular calcium concentration, leading to reduced contractility (inotropy)
Disrupt excitation-contraction coupling, affecting the heart's ability to contract
Slow conduction through the AV node
Prolong AV nodal refractory period, preventing rapid impulse transmission
Decrease ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation and flutter (SVT)
Dilate coronary arteries
Improve coronary blood flow, increasing oxygen supply to the heart muscle (myocardium)
Reduce myocardial oxygen demand by decreasing cardiac workload
Decrease contractility and oxygen consumption
Reduce afterload (resistance against which the heart must pump) and preload (volume of blood in the ventricles at the end of diastole)
Beneficial in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by reducing outflow tract obstruction and improving diastolic function
Effects of calcium channel blockers
Therapeutic uses
Supraventricular tachycardias (SVT)
Atrial fibrillation and flutter, characterized by rapid and irregular atrial contractions
AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), caused by a reentry circuit within the AV node
Angina pectoris, chest pain caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic disorder causing thickening of the heart muscle
Effects
Slow ventricular rate in SVT, improving cardiac function and reducing symptoms