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quinidine
quinidine , heart muscle relaxant used to maintain regular heart rhythm patterns. It is an alkaloid chemically similar to quinine and, like quinine, occurs naturally in some species of cinchona trees. Quinidine slows the rate of blood flow in heart chambers and lowers the excitability of the muscle. Quinidine is a general relaxant of smooth muscle and acts as a dilator of larger blood vessels. It has also been used to reduce fever and to treat malaria. Synchronized electric shock has largely replaced quinidine as a method of establishing more normal heart rhythms. |
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"quinidine." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "quinidine." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-quinidin.html "quinidine." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-quinidin.html |
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quinidine
quinidine (kwin-i-deen) n. a drug that slows down the activity of the heart and is administered by mouth to control abnormal and increased heart rhythm. Trade name: Kinidin Durules.
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Cite this article
"quinidine." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "quinidine." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-quinidine.html "quinidine." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-quinidine.html |
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