Quinidine
Also Known As: Quinidine, Cardioquin, Quinidex
Quinidine is a pharmaceutical agent that acts as a class I antiarrhythmic agent (Ia) in the heart. It is a stereoisomer of quinine, originally derived from the bark of the cinchona tree.
Like all other class I antiarrhythmic agents, quinidine primarily works by blocking the fast inward sodium current (INa). Quinidine's effect on INa is known as a use dependent block. This means that at higher heart rates, the block increases, while at lower heart rates the block decreases. The effect of blocking the fast inward sodium current causes the phase 0 depolarization of the cardiac action potential to decrease (decreased Vmax).
It also has been used intravenously for the treatment of malaria.
Print this Page