Influence of vagal suppression on early arrhythmias following experimental myocardial infarction in dogs.
The close relationship between disturbances of heart rhythm that follow acute myocardial infarction, and the autonomic nervous system is of particular interest. These disturbances have been attributed to the sympathetic and parasympathetic influences upon the heart. The present investigation was undertaken in order to study the influence of parasympathetic suppression on early arrhythmias following acute myocardial infarction in dogs with acute coronary occlusion. Two series were examined: control and vagotomized animals. In vagotomized dogs, the incidence of early post-infarction arrhythmias was 9 per cent against 66 per cent in the control series. The heart rate and blood pressure did not show significant changes in either series. The results emphasize the importance of the afferent and efferent vagal ways in the genesis of early arrhythmias.
D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D004285:Dogs; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006339:Heart Rate; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014628:Vagotomy