What is chronotropy?

What is chronotropy?

• A. Inotropy
• B. A drug that can either positively or negatively affect heart rate
• C. Dromotropy
• D. Chronoaggravation

Answer: (B)

Chronotropy refers to how the heart rate is influenced. It describes whether heart rate goes up or down in response to a stimulus. A drug that can either positively or negatively affect heart rate embodies this concept because it denotes agents that can produce either an increase (positive chronotropy) or a decrease (negative chronotropy) in heart rate. Inotropy is about the strength of contraction, dromotropy concerns the speed of electrical conduction through the AV node, and chronoaggravation isn’t a standard term. So this description best captures what chronotropy means.

Chronotropy refers to how the heart rate is influenced. It describes whether heart rate goes up or down in response to a stimulus. A drug that can either positively or negatively affect heart rate embodies this concept because it denotes agents that can produce either an increase (positive chronotropy) or a decrease (negative chronotropy) in heart rate. Inotropy is about the strength of contraction, dromotropy concerns the speed of electrical conduction through the AV node, and chronoaggravation isn’t a standard term. So this description best captures what chronotropy means.