Summary
In the heart in situ of vagotomized dogs, atrioventricular conduction was studied by the His bundle potential recording, sinus rate continuously registered and the effective refractory period (ERP) of the atrial muscle measured by the extrastimulus method.
The modifications induced by the acute lowering of plasma potassium concentration from 3.5 to 2.0 mmol/l obtained by hemodialysis appeared to be similar to those due to parasympathetic stimulation and the effects of hypokalemia and acetylcholine (ACh) on the atrioventricular (A-V) and sinoatrial nodes as well as on the atrial contractile tissue gave rise to potentiation. Intraaortically injected near coronary ostia in a dose lower than liminal dose, ACh enhanced to a large extent all the phenomena elicited by hypokalemia, since the variations respectively observed under the influence of hypokalemia alone and the combination of hypokalemia and ACh were as follows: lengthening of conduction time in the A-V node by 100 and 180%, reduction of sinus rate by 10 and 20%, shortening of the atrial ERP by 20 and 40%.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carli A, Robin M, Hayat JC, Monsallier JF (1974) Troubles de la conduction intracardiaque révélateurs d'une hyperkaliémie. Cœur Med Int 13:107–120
Carmeliet E (1973) Cœur et potassium: aspects électrophysiologiques. Cœur Med Int 12:561–577
Chai CY, Wang HH, Hoffman BF, Wang SC (1967) Mechanism of bradycardia induced by digitalis substances. Am J Physiol 212:26–34
Chuquimia R, Chawla K, Deshmukh H, Sohi G, Tonne W (1974) Electrophysiological studies in hyperkalemia. Circulation 49, Suppl. III: 219–225
Corabœuf E (1978) Ionic basis of electrical activity in cardiac tissue. Am J Physiol 234:H101-H116
De Claviere M, Bazaugour R, Ollagnier M, Evreux JC, Louis JC, Michel AJD, Faucon G (1977) Incidence pharmacologique de l'inégale réactivité des éléments constitutifs du myocards au système parasympathique. Anesth Analg. Réanim 34:69–81
Duchene-Marullaz P, Fabry-Delaigue R, Gueorguien G, Kantelip P (1982) Influence of chloralose and pentobarbitone sodium on atrioventricular conduction in dogs. Br J Pharmacol 77:309–317
Farges JP, Faucon G, Ollagnier M (1976) Heterogeneous reactivity of atrial and ventricular cardiac contractile tissues in the dog. Br J Pharmacol 58: 409P
Farges JP, Ollagnier M, Faucon G (1977) Influence of acetylcholine, isoproterenol, quinidine and ouabain on effective refractory periods of atrial and ventricular myocardium in the dog. Arch Int Pharmacodyn 227:206–219
Fish C, Feigenbaum H, Bowers JA (1963) The inhibition of acetylcholine-induced atrioventricular block by potassium. J Clin Invest 42:563–569
Gaffney TE, Kahn JB Jr, van Maanen EF, Acheson GH (1958) Mechanism of the vagal effect of cardiac glycosides. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 122:423–429
Gelbart A, Hall RJ, Goldman R (1980) Effects of hypokalemia on the cardiotropic actions of digoxin in dogs. Correlation with inhibition of cardiac Na+-K+-adenosine triphosphate. Circ Res 46:1173–1174
Gettes LS, Surawicz B, Shine JC (1962) Effect of high potassium, low potassium and quinidine on QRS duration and ventricular action potential. Am J Physiol 203:1135–1141
Giangiacomo S, Klint R (1974) Atrioventricular conduction disturbances in renal tubular acidosis. J Electrocardiol 7: 273–274
Giles W, Noble S (1976) Changes in membrane currents in bullfrog atrium produced by acetylcholine. J Physiol 261:103–123
Gomez-Arnau J, Maseda J, Burgos R, Cordon J, Dominguez R, Criado A, Avello F (1982) Cardiac arrest due to digitalis intoxication with normal serum digoxin levels: effects of hypokalemia. Drug Int Clin Pharmacol 16:160–161
Hall RJ, Gelbart A, Billingham M, Snidow G, Goldman RH (1981) Effect of chronic potassium depletion on digitalis-induced inotropy and arrhythmias. Cardiovasc Res 15:98–107
Harris EJ, Hutter OF (1956) The action of acetylcholine on the movements of potassium ions in the sinus venosus of the heart. J Physiol 133:58P
Isenberg G (1975) Is potassium conductance of cardiac Purkinje fibres controlled by Ca2+? Nature 253:273–274
Kramer LD, Cole JP, Messenger JC, Ellestad MH (1979) Cardiac dysfunction in a patient with familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Chest 75:189–192
Lievre M, Ollagnier M, Timour Chah Q, Descotes J, Faucon G (1980) Effects of mild hyperkalemia on conduction velocity and effective refractory period in various parts of the dog heart in situ. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 313:237–242
Lipsius SL, Vassalle M (1977) Effects of acetylcholine on potassium movements in the guinea-pig sinus node. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 201:669–677
Paes de Carvalho A, Langan WB (1963) Influence of extracellular potassium levels on atrioventricular transmission. Am J Physiol 205:375–381
Raynaud R, Brochier M, Raynaud P, Fauchier JP (1970) Deficit potassique et troubles sévères du rythme cardiaque. Cœur Méd Int 9:13–25
Scherlag BJ, Helfant RH, Damato AN (1968) A catheterization technique for His bundle stimulation and recording in the intact dog. J Appl Physiol 25:425–428
Steinbeck G, Erdmann E, Luderitz B, Bolte HD (1973) Effect of cardiac glycosides on intracellular potassium and sodium concentration of the myocardium in chronic hypokalemia. Verh Dtsch Ges Kreislaufforsch 39:170–174
Timour Chah Q, Bertrix L, Lang J, Bouzouita K, Faucon G (1983) Enhancement by Ca2+ ions of cholinergic effects on the canine heart in situ. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 322:59–64
Timour Chah Q, Braly G, Bouzouita K, Faucon G (1982) Effects of hypokalemia on the various parts of the conductions system of the dog heart in situ. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch Pharmacol 319:178–183
Toda N, West TC (1966) Influence of ouabain on cholinergic responses in the sinoatrial node. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 153:104–113
Toda N, West TC (1967) Interaction between Na, Ca, Mg and vagal stimulation in the sinoatrial node of the rabbit. Am J Physiol 212:424–430
Varghese PJ, Damato AN, Lau SH, Akhtar M, Bobb GA (1973) The effect of heart rate, acetylcholine and vagal stimulation on antegrade and retrograde His-Purkinje conduction in the intact heart. Am Heart J 86:203–210
Wit AL, Weiss MB, Berkowitz WD, Rosen KM, Steiner C, Damato AN (1970) Pattern of atrioventricular conduction in the human heart. Circ Res 27:345–359
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bertrix, L., Bouzouita, K., Lang, J. et al. Potentiation by hypokalemia of the effects of acetylcholine on the canine heart in situ. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 326, 169–174 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00517315
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00517315