Sunday, January 26, 2014

Drug induced channelopathies

Long QT, Brugada syndrome and short QT can be induced by drugs and the topic is covered in this review. Both cardiac and non cardiac drugs are on the list. Long QT inducing drugs are primarily potassium channel blockers but there are other mechanisms. Brugada pattern inducing drugs are sodium channel blockers and include class 1 antiarrhythmics, TCAs and other psychiatric drugs. The list of drugs inducing short QT is short but likely to expand. Many of the short QT inducing drugs were discovered and removed in preclinical development. Patients who experience drug induced channelopathies may be genetically susceptible and have a forme fruste of the condition. The paper, which is available as free full text at the link above, contains links to web resources for drugs to avoid as well as other precautions in syndromic patients.

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