What is "amrinone"

n. 1 A type 3 pyridine phosphodiesterase inhibitor used to treat congestive heart failure. 2 (context US English) Former name for inamrinone (changed in 2000 to avoid confusion with amiodarone).

n. a drug (trade name Inocor) used intravenously in heart failure; increases strength of contraction of myocardium [syn: Inocor]

Amrinone ( INN) or inamrinone ( USAN, changed in 2000 to prevent confusion with amiodarone), trade name Inocor, is a pyridine phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor. It is a drug that may improve the prognosis in patients with congestive heart failure. Amrinone has been shown to increase the contractions initiated in the heart by high gain calcium induced calcium release (CICR). The positive inotropic effect of amrinone is mediated by the selective enhancement of high gain CICR which contributes to the contraction of myocytes by phosphorylation through cAMP dependent protein kinase A (PKA) and Ca calmodulin kinase pathways.