title: Antiarrhythmic properties of antidepressant drugs after coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion in rats.
abstract: The effects of the intravenously administered antidepressant drugs mianserin, imipramine, metapramine, nomifensine and amineptine against ischaemia and reperfusion arrhythmias were investigated in anaesthetized rats. Imipramine, metapramine, mianserin and high doses of nomifensine (0.5 mg.kg-1) reduced the mortality and the duration of ventricular fibrillation observed following coronary artery ligation. Amineptine was ineffective in preventing early postligation arrhythmias. With the tricyclic antidepressant drugs imipramine and metapramine, the arrhythmias were practically suppressed after 15 min following coronary artery ligation. The incidence of reperfusion arrhythmias was significantly reduced by tricyclic antidepressant drugs. In contrast, amineptine was not effective and did not alter cardiac function. It was suggested that nonspecific effects of these drugs account for their antiarrhythmic action. The most plausible explanation for their antiarrhythmic action may be a quinidine-like cardiac depressant activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Dijon, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bril
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rochette
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic