What are the Different Types of Arrhythmia Medications?

Arrhythmia medications fall into three main categories that include anticoagulants, calcium channel blockers, and beta blockers. These drugs are used for conditions causing irregular heart rates that can lead to heart attack or stroke. Arrhythmia medications cannot cure the disorder, but may prevent damage to vital organs from decreased blood flow.

Calcium channel blockers, also called calcium antagonists, interrupt the flow of calcium to blood vessels and the heart that might cause irregular heart rhythms. They are also used to treat chest pain. Sometimes these drugs are used with other medications to improve the functioning of the heart and lessen the number of arrhythmia episodes.

Anti-arrhythmic medications treat conditions like tachycardia, a disorder that causes the heart to beat too fast, described as more than 100 beats per minute. When the heart beats excessively fast, the organ does not completely fill with blood, which inhibits blood flow to the body. If this condition leads to a heart attack, anti-arrhythmic medication is typically administered intravenously in an emergency room. Signs of tachycardia, such as dizziness or feeling lightheaded, might be aggravated by too much coffee, alcohol, and smoking.

Bradycardia represents a condition when the heart beats too slowly, or less than 60 times per minute. A person might feel faint, dizzy, and tired if not enough oxygen-rich blood reaches the brain. It might also cause high blood pressure and chest pain in severe cases. Arrhythmia medication is generally not prescribed for bradycardia unless symptoms are severe.

Atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes the heart to quiver, is the most serious disorder treated with anti-arrhythmia medications. Very little or no blood circulates when atrial fibrillation occurs, which commonly leads to cardiac arrest. Drugs might control the disease and prevent blood clots from forming in blood that pools in the heart. Blood thinning drugs are commonly used with other arrhythmia medications to control the size of existing blood clots and prevent new clots from forming.

Aspirin is an inexpensive anticoagulant arrhythmia treatment. It thins the blood and decreases the risk of blood clots, but cannot dissolve clots that have already formed. Prescription medication is commonly ordered for this condition, but it must be closely monitored because it might cause abnormal bleeding.

The human heart contains a natural pacemaker that controls its rhythm and heart rate. When this pacemaker malfunctions, it may lead to irregular heartbeat, fluttering, or quivering. If the heart does not pump adequately, disruptions in blood flow could damage the brain, lungs, and other internal organs.