ABSTRACT
The pharmacology of cardiac drugs is an immense topic and reducing its components to a single chapter is a challenging task. This chapter presents a broad overview of a wide spectrum of cardiac drugs, classified into the following main groups: Sympathomimetic Agents (including adrenaline, noradrenaline, metaraminol, isoprenaline, dopamine, dobutamine), Sympatholytic Agents (including alpha- and beta-blockers), Centrally acting Hypotensive Agents (including alpha-methyldopa, clonidine), Calcium Antagonists (including verapamil, diltiazem, nifedipine, other dihydropyridines), Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors, Angiotensin-II Antagonists, Nitrovasodilators, Diuretics, Cardiac Glycosides, Antiarrhythmics, Antithrombins and Thrombolytics This extensive list provides a useful and practical summary for the novice on the use and actions of many types of drugs and provides a general understanding of their clinical application in cardiology.
