Patient was educated on calcium channel blockers and their mechanism of action as follows: Entry of calcium ion through the calcium channels, into the cells lining the blood vessels is needed for narrowing or constriction of blood vessel, which results in elevated blood pressure. Entry of calcium ion into the SA node cells, which is the natural pacemaker in the body, is also needed to initiate a normal heartbeat in the pacemaker cells. Calcium channel [...]

Patient was educated on potassium channel blockers and their mechanism of action as follows: Potassium channel blockers are medications that block the movement of potassium ions out of the cells in the cardiac muscle. Blocking the exit of potassium ions from the cells of cardiac muscle results in prolongation of the repolarization of heart muscle cells and thereby, prolong the total duration of action potential and the refractory period of cardiac muscle cells. By prolonging [...]

Patient was educated on Beta blockers and their mechanism of action as follows: Beta blockers are drugs that inhibit the action of adrenaline on both the Beta-1 and Beta-2 receptors. Beta -1 receptors are present in the pacemaker cells of the heart. Action of adrenaline on these cells increase the heart rate. Inhibition of action of adrenaline on Beta-1 receptors by Beta blockers result in slowing of heart rate and decreases the force of contraction [...]

Patient was educated on sodium channel blockers and their mechanism of action as follows: Sodium channel blockers are medications that block the movement of sodium ions into the cells in the cardiac and nervous tissues. Blocking the entry of sodium ions into the cells of cardiac and nervous tissues results in reduced excitation of these tissues. Slowing down the excitation of the cardiac and nervous tissues results in reduced conduction of the impulse in both [...]

Patient was educated that antiarrhythmic medications are basically grouped into four classes. Medications belonging to these four classes act differently to exert their antiarrhythmic effect. The four classes are as follows: Class I antiarrhythmic medications These medications block the sodium channels in the cardiac muscle to exert their antiarrhythmic effect and so, are called sodium channel blockers. These medications inhibit arrhythmias by inhibiting the depolarization of cardiac tissues and slowing down the conduction velocity of [...]