Antiarrhythmic medicines may be used to return an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) to its normal rhythm, prevent an arrhythmia, or control the heartbeat during an arrhythmia. These drugs work mostly by slowing the heart rate or by helping the heart muscle tissue become stable.
Many antiarrhythmic medicines have side effects, and many interact with other medicines. A person taking any of these medicines should talk often with his or her health professional.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise