Tag: Cardiac pharmacology

Beta-blockers like propranolol have been used as a primary medical therapy for symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) since studies in the 1960s confirmed their benefits. This makes it clear that propranolol is not contraindicated in HOCM, but rather a long-standing treatment option to manage symptoms.

In patients with heart failure, activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system leads to increased sodium and water retention [1.2.1]. This article explains **why do diuretics reduce preload**, a critical intervention for managing the resulting fluid overload and cardiac stress.

According to StatPearls, amiodarone is FDA-approved for the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. So, why do you administer amiodarone? It is a potent antiarrhythmic drug, but its significant side effect profile means its use is reserved for serious heart rhythm disturbances that have not responded to other treatments.

The heart has five fundamental properties that govern its function, first described in 1897. This guide breaks down what is inotropic vs chronotropic vs dromotropic vs bathmotropic by exploring how medications and the nervous system precisely modulate the heart's rate, contractility, electrical conduction, and excitability.