Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs for prevention of sudden cardiac death and management of postmyocardial infarction arrhythmias. A review.

Background: The aim of the present paper is to review the evolution of concepts regarding the use of Class I and III antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) in myocardial infarction over the past four decades.

Methods: Results of animal experiments carried out by the authors and papers published between 1970 and 2012 in journals and the PubMed search system were used.

Results: Animal experiments carried out as early as the 1970s showed that Class IB and IC AADs lose their antiarrhythmic effect and electrically destabilize ventricles in the very early phase of myocardial ischemic focus formation.