Effect of hypothermia on the basic ECG configuration and on cardiac rhythm in Na petobarbitone anaesthetized cats

The usefulness of the whole body cooling technique in man is limited by the development of ventricular fibrillation. This is a reflection of the lack of knowledge of the mechanism underlying the fibrillation process during hypothermia. Experimental studies are described in which progressive induction of hypothermia was associated with gross disturbances of cardiac function, changes in E.C.G. uniform especially with negativity of the T wave cardiac and ventricular fibrillation