title: Prolonged action potential duration of guinea-pig heart muscle after pethidine.
abstract: Since recent experiments indicated class III antiarrhythmic properties of pethidine in vitro, we studied cardiac effects of pethidine in vivo. Monophasic action potentials at different pacing rates were recorded from the left ventricular epicardium of pentobarbital anaesthetized guinea-pigs by means of suction electrode catheter. Intravenous injection of pethidine 2 mg/kg prolonged the action potential duration, and increased left ventricular developed pressure and dP/dt max, compared to animals receiving saline only. It is concluded that pethidine appears to have class III antiarrhythmic properties.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Helgesen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Refsum
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008614:Meperidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D008614:Meperidine