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Cardiac sodium channels and inherited electrophysiologic disorders: a pharmacogenetic overview.

Smits JP, Blom MT, Wilde AA, Tan HL

University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Department of Cardiology, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Sodium (Na) channels are essential for cardiac electrical activity. Cardiac Na channel dysfunction, inherited or acquired, can induce life-threatening conduction and arrhythmia disorders. Inherited Na channel dysfunction may put affected patients at a greater risk for these complications when channel-modifying drugs are prescribed. This study addressed pharmacogenetic effects in three well-described Na channel-related diseases: long QT syndrome type 3, Brugada syndrome and inherited cardiac conduction disease. A review of the currently available literature on cardiac Na channel-modulating drugs was undertaken. An overview is given of the known risks of development of the previously mentioned complications of commonly prescribed drugs in patients affected with Na channel-related diseases and the underlying mechanisms.

Published 3 March 2008 in Expert Opin Pharmacother, 9(4): 537-49.
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