Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers01:20

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers

1.3K
Class IV antiarrhythmic drugs, such as verapamil and diltiazem, block calcium channels. They primarily affect the heart, slowing the conduction in calcium-dependent tissues like the SA and AV nodes. These drugs manage reentrant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and reduce ventricular rate in atrial flutter/fibrillation.
Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, inhibits calcium movement across myocardial cell membranes and vascular smooth muscle. This results in the dilation of coronary and...
1.3K
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias01:25

ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias

278
Arrhythmia is a condition characterized by an irregular heart rhythm, with ECG changes that differ based on its origin and nature. The types of arrhythmias discussed below include atrial, junctional, and ventricular arrhythmias.Atrial ArrhythmiasPremature Atrial Complexes (PACs): PACs are early atrial beats caused by stress, caffeine, alcohol, electrolyte imbalances, hypoxia, hyperthyroidism, or certain medications (e.g., bronchodilators and decongestants). The ECG shows early P waves with an...
278
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers01:12

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers

1.6K
Class III antiarrhythmic drugs are a group of medications that can prolong action potentials in the heart. They achieve this by blocking potassium channels or enhancing inward currents from sodium channels. However, these drugs have a unique property of "reverse use-dependence," which is most pronounced at slower heart rates and can lead to torsades de pointes—a specific type of arrhythmia. However, it is essential to note that excessive QT interval prolongation—a measure of...
1.6K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers01:22

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

2.4K
Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat various types of arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms. These drugs block the sodium (Na+) channels in the cardiac cells, thereby affecting the movement of electrical impulses across the heart. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are divided into three subgroups: Class IA, Class IB, and Class IC, each with distinct mechanisms of action and effects on the heart.
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...
2.4K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers01:24

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers

1.2K
Adrenergic stimulation generally impacts cardiac rate and rhythm. Specifically, stimulation of the β-adrenoceptors triggers an increase in intracellular calcium ion influx and pacemaker currents, which may cause arrhythmias. Catecholamines like adrenaline also demonstrate β2-adrenoceptor-mediated hypokalemia, impacting cardiac action potential and disrupting the normal cardiac rhythm. Class II antiarrhythmic drugs are β-adrenoceptor antagonists or β-blockers, which...
1.2K
Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias01:28

Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias

1.4K
Arrhythmias are irregular heart rhythms occurring when the heart's electrical impulses become abnormal. These disturbances can lead to various symptoms, depending on their severity and the underlying cause. Some common factors contributing to arrhythmias include hypoxia, ischemia, electrolyte imbalances, excessive catecholamine exposure, drug toxicity, and muscle overstretching. Arrhythmias can be classified into two main types based on the rate and site of origin of abnormal heart rhythms.
1.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Correspondence: New-onset hypertension in COVID-19 patients.

The British journal of cardiology·2026
Same author

Exploration of Arrhythmia Burden in Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Implantable Loop Recorders: The EXCALIBUR Study.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology·2026
Same author

Polypharmacy and anticholinergic burden are common but not independently associated with outcomes after emergency laparotomy in older adults.

Langenbeck's archives of surgery·2026
Same author

Diagnosis of Cardiac Amyloidosis on Echocardiography Using Artificial Intelligence.

Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging·2026
Same author

Efficacy of Suppression of Serum Transthyretin With Patisiran and Vutrisiran in Variant ATTR Amyloidosis: An Observational Crossover Study.

Circulation·2026
Same author

Artificial intelligence-based echocardiographic assessment for monitoring disease progression in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

European journal of heart failure·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Electrocardiogram Recordings in Anesthetized Mice using Lead II
04:16

Electrocardiogram Recordings in Anesthetized Mice using Lead II

Published on: June 20, 2020

13.7K

Donepezil induces ventricular arrhythmias by delayed repolarisation.

Jason Kho1, Adam Ioannou2, Amit K J Mandal3

  • 1Department of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Wexham Park Hospital, Wexham Street, Slough, UK. jason.kho1@nhs.net.

Naunyn-Schmiedeberg'S Archives of Pharmacology
|November 24, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Donepezil, used for Alzheimer's dementia, affects more than the brain. It can cause heart rhythm problems by increasing acetylcholine and inhibiting cardiac currents, effects that reverse when the drug is stopped.

Keywords:
Cardiac arrhythmiasCholinesterase inhibitorsDonepezilElectrocardiography

More Related Videos

Contractions of Human-iPSC-derived Cardiomyocyte Syncytia Measured with a Ca-sensitive Fluorescent Dye in Temperature-controlled 384-well Plates
07:42

Contractions of Human-iPSC-derived Cardiomyocyte Syncytia Measured with a Ca-sensitive Fluorescent Dye in Temperature-controlled 384-well Plates

Published on: October 18, 2018

6.5K
Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus
08:28

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus

Published on: April 5, 2011

18.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Electrocardiogram Recordings in Anesthetized Mice using Lead II
04:16

Electrocardiogram Recordings in Anesthetized Mice using Lead II

Published on: June 20, 2020

13.7K
Contractions of Human-iPSC-derived Cardiomyocyte Syncytia Measured with a Ca-sensitive Fluorescent Dye in Temperature-controlled 384-well Plates
07:42

Contractions of Human-iPSC-derived Cardiomyocyte Syncytia Measured with a Ca-sensitive Fluorescent Dye in Temperature-controlled 384-well Plates

Published on: October 18, 2018

6.5K
Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus
08:28

Methods for ECG Evaluation of Indicators of Cardiac Risk, and Susceptibility to Aconitine-induced Arrhythmias in Rats Following Status Epilepticus

Published on: April 5, 2011

18.0K

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Cardiology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used to treat Alzheimer's dementia.
  • Its mechanism involves increasing acetylcholine in the central nervous system.
  • Emerging evidence suggests peripheral effects beyond the brain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the peripheral effects of donepezil.
  • To understand the mechanisms behind donepezil-induced cardiac arrhythmias.
  • To correlate cholinergic effects with cardiac ion channel activity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of case reports on peripheral cholinergic side effects.
  • Analysis of adverse cardiac events, specifically Torsades de Pointes.
  • Examination of donepezil's impact on acetylcholine concentrations and cardiomyocyte ion currents (IKr).

Main Results:

  • Donepezil can cause peripheral cholinergic side effects.
  • Adverse cardiac arrhythmias, including Torsades de Pointes, have been reported.
  • These cardiac events are reversible upon discontinuation of donepezil.
  • Augmented acetylcholine and IKr inhibition in cardiomyocytes are implicated.

Conclusions:

  • Cholinesterase inhibition by donepezil extends to peripheral tissues, including the heart.
  • Donepezil-induced cardiac arrhythmias are likely mediated by increased acetylcholine and IKr inhibition.
  • Understanding these peripheral effects is crucial for patient safety.