Abstract
The effect of age on ventricular automaticity in the isolated perfused rat heart was determined under different conditions. When the ventricle is electrically stimulated at a faster rate, drive cessation is followed by a temporary suppression of ventricular automaticity (overdrive suppression). The effects of ischemia, lidocaine and verapamil on overdrive suppression were studied in isolated perfused adult and senescent rat hearts with complete atrio- ventricular block, by monitoring ventricular escape rate and escape rhythm recovery time after 1 minute of overdrive at a constant multiple (x3) of the spontaneous rate. The results demonstrated that: 1) lidocaine decreases ventricular automaticity especially in senescent hearts; 2) verapamil does not modify ventricular automaticity in basal conditions in either adult or senescent hearts; 3) myocardial ischemia causes a reduction in ventricular automaticity and more markedly in senescent hearts; and 4) lidocaine exaggerates the effect of ischemia, while verapamil seems to antagonize its depressant effect more in adult than in senescent hearts. (Aging Clin. Exp. Res. 4: 157- 164, 1992)
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Abete, P., Ferrara, N., Leosco, D. et al. Age- related effects of ischemia, lidocaine and verapamil on overdrive- induced suppression of ventricular pacemakers in isolated rat heart. Aging Clin Exp Res 4, 157–164 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324085
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324085