24/11/2025
Cardiotonic drugs are used to treat conditions like heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and after myocardial infarction, as they increase the force of the heart muscle's contractions and improve blood flow. They are also used in situations where blood pressure is dangerously low.
✨Primary uses
✨Heart Failure: These drugs are frequently used as a primary treatment for heart failure to improve the heart's pumping ability, which can be reduced in this condition.
✨Cardiogenic Shock: They are used to treat cardiogenic shock, a life-threatening condition where the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
✨Cardiovascular Support: They can be used to support the heart after major cardiac procedures or a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
✨Other conditions: They may be prescribed for other conditions that require strengthening of the heart muscle, such as certain types of hypotension.
✨How they work
✨Increase contractility: Cardiotonic drugs increase the force of contraction of the heart muscle (positive inotropic action).
✨Improve blood flow: By increasing the force of contraction, more blood is pumped out of the heart with each beat, which increases cardiac output.
✨Mechanism of action: They work through various mechanisms, including increasing the levels of cyclic AMP in the heart muscle cells, modulating intracellular calcium, and regulating ion channels. Some, like cardiac glycosides, inhibit the sodium-potassium pump to achieve this effect.
