Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Dromotropic
Introduction
A dromotropic agent is one which affects the conduction velocity of the AV node, and subsequently the rate of electrical impulses in the heart.[1][2]
Agents that are dromotropic are often (but not always) inotropic and chronotropic. For example, parasympathetic stimulation is usually negatively dromotropic, inotropic, and chronotropic.
Non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers such as verapamil block the slow inward calcium current in cardiac tissues thereby having a negatively dromotropic, chronotropic and inotropic effect[3]. This (and other) pharmacological effect makes these drugs useful in the treatment of angina pectoris. Conversely, they can lead to symptomatic disturbances in cardiac conduction and bradyarrhythmias, and may aggravate left ventricular failure[4].
References
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]