Anesthesia Pharmacology Practice Questions: Antiarrhythmic Drugs

The effect of catecholamines on arrhythmogenesis:
1. Increases circulating levels of catecholamines or increased cardiac sympathetic nerve activity tends to increase the likelihood of most arrhythmias.
2. Increases circulating levels of catecholamines or increased cardiac sympathetic nerve activity tends to decrease the likelihood of most arrhythmias.
ß-agonists have which one(s) of the following effects on cardiac electrophysiology?
1. ß agonists increase the ICa,L cardiac currents.
2. ß agonists increase the pacemaker current (If).
3. Both
4. Neither
Effect(s) of ß-adrenergic receptor antagonism include(s):
1. A lengthening of the AV node effective refractory. (ERP).
2. Depression of conduction through the AV node
3. Lengthening of SA nodal recovery time
4. An increase in automaticity
5. A & B
6. A & C
7. D only
8. A, B & C
Antiarrhythmic effects attributed to administration of ß-adrenergic antagonists is likely principally due to which one of the following?
1. Membrane stabilization
2. Blockade of catecholamine-induced proarrhythmic effects.
Arrhythmias particularly susceptible to suppression by ß-adrenergic antagonists include which one(s) of the following?
1. Catecholamine-sensitive "polymorphic ventricular tachycardia"
2. Torsades de Pointes in some congenital long QT syndromes.
3. Elevated ventricular following rates due to atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.
4. All of the above
Concerning adverse effects associated with ß-adrenergic antagonists:
1. Depression
2. Insomnia
3. Both
4. Neither
Concerning adverse effects associated with ß-adrenergic antagonists:
1. Hallucination
2. Sexual dysfunction
3. Both
4. Neither
Consequences of abrupt withdrawal of ß blocker administration to a patient with coronary artery disease may result in which one(s) of the following:
1. Reduced incidence of angina
2. Elevated risk of heart attack
3. Sudden death
4. A & C
5. B & C
6. A, B< & C
Administration of ß-adrenergic receptor antagonists may mask indications of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients.
1. True
2. False
Esmolol (Brevibloc) is classified as:
1. A ß-1 selective adrenergic agonist
2. A ß-2 selective adrenergic antagonist
3. Both
4. Neither
Which one of the following agents would be likely preferable in reducing ventricular heart rate secondary to rapidly conducted atrial fibrillation?
1. Propranolol
2. Esmolol
3. Both
4. Neither
Considering ß-adrenergic antagonists, their effectiveness for reducing ventricular ectopic depolarization is less than that observed by drugs belonging to the sodium-channel antagonist drug class.
1. True
2. False