title: Elevation of ventricular defibrillation threshold in dogs by antiarrhythmic drugs.
abstract: Effects of antiarrhythmic drugs upon the threshold delivered energy (TDE) and threshold peak current (TPC) for electrical ventricular defibrillation by damped sinusoidal shocks were investigated in 25 pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. TDE and TPC were increased by the three antiarrhytmic drugs tested. Bolus injections produced a transient rise and continuous infusions produced a steady rise in difibrillation threshold. The maximal percent elevations in mean defibrillation threshold during the 60 minutes after intravenous drug treatment in groups of n = 5 dogs were: (formula: see text). Accordingly, individuals receiving antiarrhythmic drugs who nonetheless fibrillate may require greater electric shock strength for defibrillation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004285:Dogs; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011802:Quinidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D010672:Phenytoin; D008012:Lidocaine; D011802:Quinidine