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Cardiac Drug Development

From Animal Models to Clinical Trials

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Book cover Cardiac Drug Development Guide

Part of the book series: Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology ((MIPT))

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Abstract

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that the total number of arrhythmia-related mortalities is approx 500,000 of an estimated 2,000,000 US deaths per year, or nearly one-quarter of all cardiovascular-related deaths (1). The majority of such deaths, which have remained at a nearly constant ratio since the 1970s when cardiac drug development programs were formally being established within the pharmaceutical industry, are caused by ventricular fibrillation (VF; Fig. 1).

The ischemic heart produces a broad spectrum of arrhythmias that precipitate sudden cardiac death. Antiarrhythmic drug therapy (ion channel-blocking drugs) can suppress fatal arrhythmias and produce a normal EKG rhythm. Unfortunately, although these drugs are beneficial, many possess side effects, including myocardial depression and proarrhythmic tendencies

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Forest Research Institute, Jersey City, NJ

    Michael K. Pugsley

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  1. Michael K. Pugsley
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  1. Department of Pharmacology, Forest Research Institute, Jersey City, NJ

    Michael K. Pugsley

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© 2003 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Pugsley, M.K. (2003). Cardiac Drug Development. In: Pugsley, M.K. (eds) Cardiac Drug Development Guide. Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-404-2:3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-404-2:3

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-097-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-404-7

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