Pharmacology Lecture - 15 Inotropic Drugs
Pharmacology Lecture - 15 Inotropic Drugs
Pharmacology Lecture - 15 Inotropic Drugs
Inotropic Drugs
Posi&ve inotropic agents enhance cardiac muscle contrac&lity, and thus increase cardiac output.
Although these drugs act by different mechanisms, in each case the inotropic ac&on is the result of an increase
cytoplasmic calcium concentra&on that enhances the contrac&lity of cardiac muscle.
Classifica2on
Inotropic Agents:
1. Cardiac Glycosides
a. Digitoxine
b. Digoxine
c. Lantoxide
d. Quabain
e. Convallatoxine
2. β‐adrenergic Agonist
a. Dobutamine ( β1 )
3. Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
a. Amrinone
b. Milrinone
1. Cardiac Glycosides (CGs)
They are oMen called digitalis or digitalis glycosides because most of the drugs come from the digitalis plant.
They are a group of chemically similar compounds that can increase the contrac2lity of the heart muscle and
therefore are widely used in trea2ng heart failure.
The digitalis glycosides show only a small difference between a therapeu&cally effec&ve dose and doses that
are toxic or even fatal.
Therefore, the drugs have a low therapeu2c index.
Mechanism of Ac2on:
CGs combines reversible with the sodium‐potassium‐ATPase of the cardiac cell membrane, resul2ng in an
inhibi2on of pump ac2vity.
This causes an increase in the intracellular sodium concentra&on, which favors the transport of calcium into
the cell via the sodium calcium exchange mechanism.
The elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels result in an increase in the systolic force of contrac&on, causing the
cardiac output to more closely resemble that of the normal heart.
An increased myocardial contrac&on leads to a decrease in end diastolic volume, thus increasing the efficiency
of contrac&on (increased ejec&on frac&on).
The resul&ng improved circula&on leads to reduced sympathe&c ac&vity, which then reduces peripheral
resistance.
Together, these effects cause a reduc&on in heart rate.
Vagal tone is also enhanced so the heart rate decreases and myocardial O2 demand is diminished.
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Cardiac Effect of CGs includes:
1. increase force of heart contrac&on
2. decrease heart rate
3. shorten of systole
4. prolong diastole
5. decrease A‐V nodal conduc&on
6. increase effec&ve refractory period of A‐V nodes
Therapeu2c Uses
Digoxine therapy is indicated in pa2ents with severe leK ventricular systolic dysfunc2on aMer ini&a&on of
diure&c and vasodila&on therapy.
Digoxine is not indicated in pa2ents with diastolic or right sided heart failure.
Dobutamine, another inotropic agent can be given i.v in the hospital, but at present no good oral inotropic
agent exist other than Digoxine.
Pa&ent with mild to moderate heart failure will oMen respond to treatment with ACE (Angiotension
Conver&ng Enzyme) inhibitors & diure&cs and do not require Digoxine.
Pharmacokine2cs
All CGs possess the same pharmacologic ac&ons but they vary in potency & pharmacokine&cs.
Pharmacokine2c Proper2es of CGs
Digitoxine Digoxine, Lantoxide Quabain, Convallatoxine
1. Oral Absorp&on 90‐100% 40‐60% 2‐5%
2. Plasma Protein Binding 95% 25% Negligible
3. Plasma T1/2 5‐7 days 40 hours 20 hours
4. Administra&on Oral Oral or i.v. i.v. only
5. Uses
a. for low output failure Orally Orally ‐
b. for high output failure ‐ i.v. i.v.
c. for paroxysmal Orally ‐ ‐
supraventricular tachycardia
Adverse Effects
Digitalis toxicity is one of the most commonly encountered adverse drug reac&ons.
Side effects can oMen be managed by discon&nuing cardiac glycoside therapy, determining serum potassium
levels or if indicated, by giving potassium supplements.
Severe toxicity resul&ng in ventricular tachycardia may require administra&on of an&arrhythmic drugs, and the
use of an&bodies (FAB fragments) to Digoxine, which bind and inac&vate the drug.
Types of the adverse effects include:
1. Cardiac effects of CGs
a. Ventricular extrasystoles
b. A‐V block
c. Paroxysmal tachycardia
d. Ventricular fibrilla&on and finally to complete heart block.
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2. Gastrointes&nal effects of CGs
a. Anorexia
b. Nausea
c. Vomi&ng
3. CNS effects
a. Headache/fa&gue, confusion
b. Blurred vision, altera&on of color percep&on or haloes on the dark objects (visual disturbances).
The treatments of the arrhythmias of digitalis include:
1. Phenytoin, Lidocaine ‐ They block ventricular extrasystoles
2. Atropine ‐ It increases AV nodal conduc&on
3. Propranolol ‐ It decrease heart rate
Contraindica2ons of digitalis are:
1. very strong bradycardia
2. AV block
β‐adrenergic Agonist
β adrenergic s&mula&on improves cardiac performance by posi&ve inotropic effects or vasodila&on.
Dobutamine is the most commonly used inotropic agent other than digitalis.
Dobutamine leads to an increase in an intracellular cAMP, which results in the ac&va&on of protein kinase.
Slow calcium channels are one important site of phosphoryla&on by protein kinase.
When phosphorylated, the entry of calcium ion into the myocardial cells increases, thus enhancing
contrac&on.
Dobutamine must be given by i.v. infusion and is primarily used in the treatment of acute heart failure in a
hospital.
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
Amrinone and Milrinone block Phosphodiesterase and increase the intracellular concentra&on of cAMP.
This results in an increase in intracellular calcium and therefore cardiac contrac&lity, as discussed above for
the β‐adrenergic agonist.