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Cardiotonic Agents
Cardiotonic agents, also known as cardiac inotropes or stimulants, have a positive impact on the Cardiac muscle, myocardium (muscular layer of the heart) by enhancing its contractility. Unlike general inotropes, these agents exhibit a higher level of specificity as they selectively target the myocardium. They can be categorised into four distinct groups based on their unique mechanisms of action: Cardiac glycoside, cardiac glycosides, beta-adrenergic agonists, Phosphodiesterase inhibitor, phosphodiesterase III inhibitors, and calcium sensitizers. It is important to note that certain medications, such as Milrinone and Digoxin, possess overlapping classifications due to their ability to engage multiple mechanisms of action. Their inotropic properties make cardiactonic agents critical in addressing inadequate perfusion, and Heart failure, acute heart failure conditions including cardiogenic shock, as well as for long-term management of heart failure. These conditions arise when the hea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inotrope
An inotrope is an agent that alters the force or energy of muscular contractions. Negatively inotropic agents weaken the force of muscular contractions. Positively inotropic agents increase the strength of muscular contraction. The term ''inotropic state'' is most commonly used in reference to various drugs that affect the strength of contraction of heart muscle. However, it can also refer to pathological conditions. For example, enlarged heart muscle can increase inotropic state, whereas dead heart muscle can decrease it. Medical uses Both positive and negative inotropes are used in the management of various cardiovascular conditions. The choice of agent depends largely on specific pharmacological effects of individual agents with respect to the condition. One of the most important factors affecting inotropic state is the level of calcium in the cytoplasm of the muscle cell. Positive inotropes usually increase this level, while negative inotropes decrease it. However, not al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
