Effects of sulfinpyrazone on ventricular vulnerability in the normal and the ischemic heart

The effects of sulfinpyrazone were studied in 33 chloralose-anesthetized dogs. Ventricular fibrillation thresholds, mid diastolic thresholds and duration of the effective refractory period were determined in the normal heart after intravenous administration of sulfinpyrazone, 30 mg/kg body weight. The drug significantly raised the ventricular fibrillation threshold by 24 percent and the mid diastolic threshold by 36 percent and prolonged the effective refractory period by seven percent. The influence of sulfinpyrazone during acute myocardial ischemia was evaluated before and during a 10 minute occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery and after abrupt release of the occlusion. Although the drug afforded significant protection during coronary occlusion, it had no effect on the ventricular fibrillation threshold after reperfusion. Because potent cardiocardiac reflexes are elicited during ischemia, the influence of sulfinpyrazone on the ventricular fibrillation threshold was studied during norepinephrine infusion. Sulfinpyrazone attenuated the reduction of the ventricular fibrillation threshold during sympathetic humoral stimulation. Its effect was additive to beta adrenergic blockade with practolol and membrane stabilization with lidocaine. This investigation suggests that sulfinpyrazone exerts significant effects on ventricular vulnerability of both the normal and the ischemic myocardium. Further studies are needed to elucidate its precise mechanism of action.