Kv1.5 Inhibitors for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: A Tradeoff between Selectivity and Non-selectivity

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the common arrhythmias that threatens human health and brings a huge burden to society. Current treatments of AF possess limited efficacy and considerable risks, so a lot of efforts have been made to develop new AF therapies. Kv1.5 potassium channel is considered as an efficacious and safe therapeutic target of AF for its selective existence in atrium. This review will give a brief profile of Kv1.5 potassium channel and describe the progress of Kv1.5 inhibitors in this decade from nonselective drugs to selective agents. The final section will discuss the advantages and disadvantages between selectivity and non-selectivity.