Atropine

Atropine, this is one of the lead from emergency drugs.injections of atropine are used in the treatment of bradicardia, showing low heart rate, asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA) in cardiac arrest. This works because the main action of the vagus nerve of the parasympathetic system on the heart is to slow it down. Atropine blocks that action and therefore may speed up the heart rate. The usual dose of atropine is 0.5-1 mg every three to five minutes, up to a maximum dose of 3mg.

Therapeutic Effect.
Increased the heart rate,decreased Gastro Intestinal and respiratory secretion,reversal of muscarinic effects, bronchodilation, may have a spasmolityc action on the biliary and genitourinary tract.

The drugs Atropine is also useful in treating first degree heart block, second degree heart block Mobitz Type 1 (Wenckebach block), and also third degree heart block with a high Purkinje or AV-nodal escape rhythm. It is usually not effective in second degree heart block Mobitz type 2, and in third degree heart block with a low Purkinje or ventricular escape rhythm. Atropine is contraindicated in ischaemia-induced conduction block, because the drug increases oxygen demand of the AV nodal tissue, thereby aggravating Ischaemia and the resulting heart block.

One of the main actions of the parasympathetic nervous system is to stimulate the M2 muscarinic receptor in the heart but atropine inhibits this action as emergency drugs.

Keep ready always beside the patient.