What kind of dysrhythmias does lidocaine primarily treat?

Lidocaine is primarily used to treat ventricular dysrhythmias, specifically those that arise from the ventricles, such as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. These conditions can be life-threatening and require prompt intervention to restore normal heart rhythm and function. Lidocaine works as an antiarrhythmic agent by stabilizing the cardiac membrane and inhibiting excitability, which helps to suppress abnormal electrical activity in the ventricles.

Supraventricular dysrhythmias, on the other hand, originate in the atria and may respond better to other types of antiarrhythmic agents such as beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers. Bradycardia, which is characterized by a slow heart rate, and asystole, which is a state of no electrical activity in the heart, may also not benefit from lidocaine treatment. Therefore, the focus on lidocaine as an effective treatment specifically for ventricular dysrhythmias highlights its targeted action in addressing life-threatening arrhythmias originating from the ventricles.