Pharmacological Treatment Options in Arrhythmia-Related Cardiovascular Emergencies

Abstract

Cardiovascular emergencies are relatively common in the emergency department and outside the hospital environment. A significant part of these emergencies is related to arrhythmias and are treated by using antiarrhythmic drugs. For stable patients or when electrical cardioversion has failed, antiarrhythmic agents are indicated. The choice of which agent to use depends on the type of arrhythmia. For bradyarrhythmia, the drug of choice will be atropine, while in tachyarrhythmias, other drugs such as beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and amiodarone can be beneficial. New drugs that are mechanism-specific are discussed as well.