Question

Licodaine: Like amiodarone, lidocaine is useful for treatment of stable ventricular tachycardias as well as during CPR in conjunction with electrical defibrillation for prolonged VF/pulseless VT. In unstable VT, lidocaine administration may increase the fibrillation threshold, preventing deterioration of VT into VF.Lidocaine is a class 1B antiarrhythmic that blocks fast sodium channels in the ventricular myocardium, shortening the action potential and slowing the ventricular rate.

Answer 1

Potassium channel blockers like amiodarone affect the repolarization phase of the heart's action potential, while AEDs provide life-saving electrical shocks to reset the heart's rhythm in cases of serious arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Potassium channel blockers, such as amiodarone and procainamide, are important for treating conditions like cardiac dysrhythmia. These drugs work by impeding the movement of potassium ions (K+) through voltage-gated K+ channels. During an action potential, the K+ channels predominantly affect the repolarization phase, where the efflux of K+ helps return the membrane potential back to its resting state. By blocking these channels, potassium channel blockers prolong the action potential duration and the refractory period, which makes it more difficult for premature electrical impulses to generate another action potential, thereby helping to stabilize the heart rhythm.

In the context of emergency treatment, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are vital life-saving devices that deliver a controlled electrical shock to the heart, intended to terminate a dangerous arrhythmia such as ventricular fibrillation. This allows the body's natural pacemaker to reset and restore a normal heart rhythm. AEDs are highly accessible in public spaces and are designed with simple instructions so that they can be used by individuals without medical training, in conjunction with CPR when necessary.