Arrhythmic and Antiarrhythmic Effects of Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium Salts and of Glucose Injected into Coronary Arteries of Infarcted and Normal Hearts

Abstract

Substances that have not exhibited properties as excitants of ectopic activity by intracoronary injection into normal hearts often produce rapid ectopic activity and sometimes ventricular fibrillation upon slow injection through the vascular bed of an infarcted area, particularly upon the first one or two injections. Sodium lactate has reduced and stopped ectopic activity for brief periods. Excesses of both potassium and calcium have increased ectopic activity in infarction and produced it in normal hearts. No antagonism between these two ions, with respect to ectopic activity, has been demonstrated.