[Classification and mechanism of action of anti-arrhythmia drugs]

The knowledge of basic electrophysiologic functions and of ion fluxes across the cell membrane of excitable tissues seems essential for the understanding of the action mode of antiarrhythmic drugs. Therefore, the rather complex physiological interconnections at the membrane site are briefly reviewed. Moreover, the interaction mechanisms of antiarrhythmic drugs with transmembraneous ion movements are discussed. The classification of antiarrhythmic agents as proposed by Vaughan-Williams is critically discussed, emphasizing that each drug has a particular electrophysiologic action.