Acute antiarrhythmic effects of intravenously administered amiodarone on canine ventricular arrhythmia

We investigated antiarrhythmic effects of intravenously (i.v.) administered amiodarone using four canine ventricular arrhythmia models. Bolus injections of amiodarone 3 mg/kg suppressed epinephrine (EPI)-induced arrhythmia and 5-mg/kg bolus injections of amiodarone suppressed digitalis- and two-stage coronary ligation-induced arrhythmia models, but the antiarrhythmic effects did not correlate with the amiodarone plasma concentrations. The infusion of amiodarone 6.67 mg/kg/h did not prolong the QTc interval or produce antiarrhythmic effects in coronary ligation and reperfusion experiments. Amiodarone significantly decreased the mean blood pressure (MAP), and this effect lasted throughout the observation period. The results indicate that the antiarrhythmic effects of intravenously administered amiodarone may not be due to its class III action, but to other actions, such as class I, II and IV actions.