Abstract
Summary
The use of antiarrhythmic drugs in combination has been limited because of possible side effects secondary to myocardial depression in the acute myocardial infarction patient. Therefore, we investigated in intact dogs (group I) the hemodynamic interaction of propranolol plus procainamide (subgroup
Infusion of procainamide (30 mg/kg over 5 min) in animals of group IA produced a significant (P < 0.05) decrease of 30% in mean aortic pressure, a decrease of 40% in left ventricular dp/dt and 29% in cardiac output. When procainamide was reinfused after propranolol (1 mg/kg), its hemodynamic effects were not significantly different from those observed before propranolol in both groups IA and IIA.
Infusion of quinidine (10 mg/kg over 5 min) in animals of group IB (intact dogs) also produced significant decreases of 24% in mean aortic pressure and 38% in dp/dt while cardiac output was unchanged. However, these hemodynamic changes were seen only after beta-blockade and were significantly different from those obtained before propranolol, where heart rate increased by 14%, dp/dt by 30%, and cardiac output by 35%. These changes occurred despite a similar reduction in mean aortic pressure. This drug combination produced similar response in animals after coronary artery ligation (group IIB).
In conclusion, we feel that the administration of propranolol does not prevent the depressive circulatory effects of procainamide. The combined use of quinidine and propranolol also has a negative circulatory effect although not as marked as the effects observed after procainamide with propranolol.
The authors express appreciation to Mrs Luce Bégin and Mr David Toy for their technical assistance, and to Mrs Dorothy McCain for assistance with manuscript preparation.
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