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Electrophysiologic Mechanism of Typical Atrial Flutter Termination by Nifekalant: Effect of a Pure I Kr ‐Selective Blocking Agent
Author(s) -
YAMABE HIROSHIGE,
TANAKA YASUAKI,
MORIHISA KENJI,
UEMURA TAKASHI,
KOYAMA JUNJIROH,
KANAZAWA HISANORI,
HOSHIYAMA TADASHI,
OGAWA HISAO
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/pace.12147
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , atrial flutter , electrophysiology , anesthesia , atrial fibrillation
Background Little is known about the effect of nifekalant, a pure I Kr ‐selective blocker, on typical atrial flutter (AFL) and its termination mechanism. Methods The effects of nifekalant on AFL were elucidated in 17 patients. During AFL, the conduction time from the lateral to septal cavotricuspid isthmus (IS) and that through the reminder of the right atrium (nIS); AFL‐cycle length (CL) variability, which was quantified by the standard deviation; and the maximum difference in AFL‐CL were measured before and after administration of nifekalant (0.2–0.3 mg/kg). A single extrastimulus was delivered from the lateral cavotricuspid isthmus to elucidate the resetting response curves and atrial effective refractory period (AERP) before and after administration of nifekalant. Results There was no significant difference in AFL‐CL, IS, and nIS before and after nifekalant; however, AERP was increased after nifekalant (155 ± 22 ms vs 184 ± 32 ms, P < 0.001). The standard deviation and the maximum difference in AFL‐CL were both increased after nifekalant (1.7 ± 0.7 ms vs 3.6 ± 2.3 ms, P < 0.001 and 4.1 ± 1.9 ms vs 8.5 ± 5.2 ms, P < 0.001). The total excitable gap decreased (94 ± 17 ms vs 66 ± 21 ms, P < 0.001) with rightward shift of the resetting response curves and loss of full excitability after nifekalant. In 11 patients (65%), AFL was terminated spontaneously (n = 7) or by a single extrastimulus (n = 4), which was not observed before nifekalant. Termination was associated with orthodromic block in the cavotricuspid isthmus in all patients. Conclusions Nifekalant increases AERP and AFL‐CL variability by abolishing a fully excitable gap, without prolongation of AFL‐CL. These unique effects facilitate the termination of AFL.