What medication is typically administered for symptomatic bradycardia?

Atropine is typically the medication of choice for symptomatic bradycardia due to its ability to increase heart rate by blocking the effects of the vagus nerve on the heart. In cases of symptomatic bradycardia, where the patient experiences clinical symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, or hypotension due to a slow heart rate, atropine acts quickly to improve heart rate and restore hemodynamic stability.

The mechanism of atropine involves competitive inhibition of acetylcholine at parasympathetic sites in smooth muscle, secretory glands, and the central nervous system. This results in an increase in heart rate and improved cardiac output, making it particularly useful in acute treatment scenarios.

While other medications such as dopamine and amiodarone may certainly have roles in treating various cardiac arrhythmias or situations, they are not the first-line treatment specifically for symptomatic bradycardia. Atenolol is a beta-blocker that lowers heart rate and is contraindicated in situations where you would need to treat bradycardia. Therefore, atropine is the preferred medication for this condition in emergency settings.