Verapamil

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Sections available in full article Name, Class of drug, Description, Uses, Administration, Do not mix with, Routes of administration, Dosage, Pharmocokinetics, Normal, Pathological variations, Precautions, Contra-indications, Use with care, Interactions, Sources, Publications, Vetstream contributor(s),
Contributors Dr Mark Rishniw BVSc MS DipACVIM

Name

  • Verapamil.

Class of drug

  • Calcium channel blocker.
  • Class IV antidysrhythmic agent.

Uses

Action

  • Verapamil causes reduction in myocardial contractility (negative inotrope), depressed electrical activity (retards AV conduction) and vasodilation (cardiac vessels and peripheral arteries and arterioles).
  • Blocks the inward movement of calcium ions through the slow channels in myocardial cells and cells within the specialized conducting cells in the heart and vascular smooth muscle   →   decreased incitation/contraction coupling.
  • Vascular smooth muscle is as sensitive to verapamil as myocardial tissues (relative activity of 1:1).

Indications

  • Primarily used to control supraventricular tachycardias, sustained and paroxysmal ventricular tachycardias particularly in cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy , and the heart rate in dogs with atrial fibrillation as an adjunct to digoxin .

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