Chemical cardioversion of electrically induced ventricular fibrillation in dogs

An acetylcholine-potassium cocktail was used to defibrillate chemically the electrically induced ventricular fibrillating myocardium of thoracotomized dogs. This drug combination was highly effective (75%) in comparison with potassium alone (20%) and acetylcholine alone (zero %). Atropine prevented chemical defibrillation. On dogs which failed to defibrillate after the administration of the cocktail, high energies were required to defibrillate the ventricles electrically and not all could be electrically defibrillated. After the administration of the ionic-choline cocktail, increased ventilatory resistance, generalized skeletal muscle contraction, urination, and defecation were observed.