Vertebral artery injection of ouabain does not hasten arrhythmogenesis

Cats were infused with ouabain into either their vertebral artery or their femoral vein, and latencies to early and late ventricular arrhythmia and death were determined. No significant differences were found between the 2 groups. These data question the likelihood that the area postrema is, as has been recently proposed, the primary site of action for digitalis-induced cardiac arrhythmias.