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Effect of lidocaine on right ventricular muscle refractoriness
Author(s) -
Engel Toby R.,
Soly Kristine L.,
Meister Steven G.,
Frankl William S.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt1976195part1515
Subject(s) - refractory period , lidocaine , medicine , sinus rhythm , effective refractory period , cardiology , anesthesia , refractory (planetary science) , infarction , myocardial infarction , atrial fibrillation , physics , astrobiology
The effect of clinical doses of lidocaine on ventricular refractoriness was investigated in man. Effective refractory period (ERP) and functional refractory period (FRP) were determined in 11 normokalemic patients via a catheter at the right ventricular apex using programmed extra‐stimuli and a ventricular electrogram recorded from the pacing catheter. No subject had recent ischemia or infarction. Measurements were repeated after clinical doses of lidocaine that produced therapeutic blood levels. Lidocaine caused no significant change in ERP or F RP during ventricular or atrial drive, or sinus rhythm with unchanged cycle length (CL). During sinus rhythm ERP/CL was unchanged. In 4 of 5 patients, lidocaine did not abolish echo phenomena observed during ventricular drive. This study demonstrates that ventricular refractoriness can be safely measured in man. Clinical doses of lidocaine did not alter right ventricular refractory periods. Lidocaine action is not explained by alteration of ventricular refractoriness, at least in muscle remote from the site of acute infarction.