Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Diltiazem does not increase ventricular fibrillation threshold during hypothermia

H Bjørnstad1, D Jenssen, E Mortensen

  • 1Department of Medical Physiology, University of Tromsø, Norway.

Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
|July 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

This study found that diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker, did not alter the ventricular fibrillation threshold in dogs during hypothermia and rewarming. Hypothermia itself reduced this threshold, impacting heart rate and electrical activity.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genotype-Specific HPV mRNA Triage Improves CIN2+ Detection Efficiency Compared to Cytology: A Population-Based Study of HPV DNA-Positive Women.

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Impact of Prosigna test on adjuvant treatment decision in lymph node-negative early breast cancer-a prospective national multicentre study (EMIT-1).

ESMO open·2024
Same author

Tuberculosis and other opportunistic infections in tofacitinib-treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Annals of the rheumatic diseases·2015
Same author

A novel micronucleus in vitro assay utilizing human hematopoietic stem cells.

Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA·2015
Same author

Three cases of donor-derived pulmonary tuberculosis in lung transplant recipients and review of 12 previously reported cases: opportunities for early diagnosis and prevention.

Transplant infectious disease : an official journal of the Transplantation Society·2014
Same author

Effect of pre-slaughter physiological conditions on the oxidative stability of colour and lipid during chill storage of pork.

Meat science·2011

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Hypothermia Research

Background:

  • Hypothermia increases the risk of ventricular fibrillation.
  • Calcium channel blockers are used in cardiac care, but their effects during hypothermia are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of diltiazem on the ventricular fibrillation threshold in dogs during induced hypothermia.
  • To assess diltiazem's impact on cardiac electrophysiology under hypothermic conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Ten dogs were cooled to 25°C and rewarmed, with ventricular fibrillation thresholds measured via programmed electrical stimulation at various temperatures.
  • Diltiazem was administered to a subset of dogs at 25°C, while a control group received no drugs.
  • Cardiac electrophysiological parameters including heart rate, action potential duration, and effective refractory period were monitored.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Cooling from 37°C to 25°C significantly reduced the ventricular fibrillation threshold in both diltiazem-treated and control groups.
  • Hypothermia led to decreased heart rate, increased action potential duration and effective refractory period, and prolonged QRS duration.
  • Diltiazem administration at 25°C did not significantly affect the ventricular fibrillation threshold, heart rate, or refractoriness during rewarming.

Conclusions:

  • Diltiazem does not appear to modify the susceptibility to ventricular fibrillation induced by hypothermia in dogs.
  • Hypothermia itself is a significant factor in lowering the ventricular fibrillation threshold, independent of diltiazem's effects.
  • Further research may be needed to explore other potential cardiac effects of diltiazem during hypothermia.