Which antiarrhythmic drug is used for acute treatment of ventricular arrhythmias?

Lidocaine hydrochloride is widely recognized for its efficacy in the acute treatment of ventricular arrhythmias. It works primarily by blocking sodium channels in the cardiac tissue, which helps stabilize the cardiac membrane and reduce the frequency of arrhythmias. This makes it particularly useful in acute settings, such as during cardiac emergencies, where rapid intervention is crucial.

In contrast, while amiodarone is also an antiarrhythmic medication, it is more commonly used for the management of persistent ventricular arrhythmias and may not provide immediate effects in acute settings like lidocaine does. Procainamide, while effective for ventricular arrhythmias, has a slower onset of action and is not the first choice for acute treatment. Warfarin, on the other hand, is an anticoagulant and does not have any direct impact on arrhythmias, making it irrelevant to this question. Therefore, lidocaine hydrochloride stands out as the correct choice for the acute management of ventricular arrhythmias.