Effect of lidocaine and quinidine on focal ventricular arrhythmias induced by subepicardial epinephrine in cats.

ABSTRACT

Subepicardial infusion of epinephrine (EP) in the dose of 3 x 10(-3) M in 2.5 x 10(-3)M CaCl2-0.9% NaCl (calcium-saline vehicle) at the rate of 10 microliters/min in the right ventricular myocardium of mongrel cats weighing between 2.7 and 3.3 kg produced uniform reversible and reproducible focal ventricular arrhythmias of varying intensity and duration. Infusion of two antiarrhythmic agents, lidocaine (LD) and quinidine (QD) in the same site of arrhythmogenesis in equimolar concentration of 3 x 10(-3) M along with EP in the same vehicle reduced incidence, duration, peak and mean frequencies of arrhythmias while the latent period of onset of arrhythmias increased significantly. In present study, quinidine, in equimolar concentration of 3 x 10(-3) M was found to be more effective than lidocaine in antagonizing EP-induced ventricular arrhythmias.