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Biomedical subjects

D J Wilber

Publications and source records attributed to D J Wilber.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Alpha-adrenergic influences in canine ischemic sudden death: effects of alpha 1-adrenoceptor blockade with prazosin.

The antiarrhythmic and antifibrillatory actions of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin were evaluated in conscious dogs 4-7 days after anterior myocardial infarction. Both the intravenous (i.v.) low single dose administration of 100 micrograms/kg and the higher multiple dose administration of 500 micrograms/kg every 6 h for 24 h failed to alter electrocardiographic intervals, ventricular effective refractory periods, or the induction of ventricular tachycardia (VT) by programmed ventricular stimulation. During the first 30 min of a subsequent episode of acute posterolateral ischemia, the incidence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) was reduced from 13 of 16 (81%) in vehicle-pretreated control animals to 2 of 8 (25%, p less than 0.05) in animals pretreated with 100 micrograms/kg prazosin and 3 of 8 (37%, p less than 0.05) in animals pretreated with 500 micrograms/kg prazosin every 6 h for 24 h. The continued administration of prazosin in the higher dose regimen, every 6 h for 24 h, significantly enhanced survival at 24 h after the onset of posterolateral ischemia in postinfarction dogs relative to the vehicle group [24-h survival: 1 of 16 (6%) vehicle v 4 of 8 (50%) in higher dose prazosin group, p less than 0.05]. These findings suggest that the blockade of alpha 1-adrenoceptor stimulation may be efficacious in preventing lethal ventricular arrhythmias associated with acute ischemia, despite the lack of effect on electrophysiologic parameters and induction of VT in the postinfarction setting.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

Electrophysiologic effects of prazosin during acute myocardial ischemia.

Prazosin, 100 micrograms/kg, had no effect on baseline refractoriness or intraventricular conduction in anesthetized dogs. During 1 h of coronary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion, prazosin significantly blunted the shortening of the ventricular effective refractory periods within ischemic myocardial region relative to vehicle-treated animals. Prazosin treatment also prevented the delayed conduction of paced ventricular complexes entering and exiting the ischemic zone. These effects may be associated with the blockade of alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation during the acute phase of myocardial ischemia.

Animals↗

Postinfarction sudden death: significance of inducible ventricular tachycardia and infarct size in a conscious canine model.

The relationship between inducible ventricular tachycardia in the convalescent phase of myocardial infarction and subsequent spontaneous ventricular fibrillation is uncertain. Thirty conscious instrumented dogs underwent programmed ventricular stimulation 5 days after anterior infarction; 15 had inducible ventricular tachycardia and 15 were noninducible. Following programmed ventricular stimulation, the application of a 150 uA current to the intima of the proximal circumflex artery initiated intimal damage, thrombosis, and acute ischemia of the posterolateral wall. After 20 minutes of ischemia, 73% inducible and 15% noninducible animals developed ventricular fibrillation (p less than 0.005) without previous hypotension. At 24 hours, 7% inducible and 85% noninducible animals survived (p less than 0.001). Anterior infarct size (percentage of left ventricular mass) was much larger in inducible (24.7 +/- 1.7%) than in noninducible (5.3 +/- 1.1%) (p less than 0.001) animals. Inducible ventricular tachycardia following infarction was highly predictive of spontaneous ventricular fibrillation during a later ischemic episode in this model. The mass of previously injured myocardium was a critical determinant of both.

Animals↗

Use of the pill electrode for transesophageal atrial pacing.

The pill electrode, which was developed for esophageal electrocardiography, has found application in transesophageal atrial pacing during procedures such as conversion of tachycardia, electrophysiologic measurement, and acceleration of heart rate to produce stress during cardiac imaging studies. This paper presents theoretical studies that examine the relationship of interelectrode distance, current level, and pulse duration to the achievement of successful capture. Theoretical results agree with our clinical findings, i.e., current levels of 25 mA are effective to sustain capture; increased pulse duration reduces current requirements; and close bipolar spacing combines efficacy with safety. Results of animal studies performed to assess the extent of esophageal burn injury reveal that current levels in excess of 75 mA are required to produce lesions in short-term (under 30 minutes) pacing, and greater than 60 mA in long-term (4 hours) pacing. These results are based on experiments using a pulse duration of 2 ms, and the current levels that produce injury will be considerably lower if longer pulse durations are used. Typical current levels and pulse durations for successful capture are presented for 46 subjects in several new clinical applications. Termination of tachycardia, basic electrophysiologic measurements, and controlled acceleration of heart rate can be performed noninvasively with this technique.

Adolescent↗

Antiarrhythmic and antifibrillatory actions of the levo- and dextrorotatory isomers of sotalol.

The electrocardiographic responses to programmed ventricular stimulation and acute posterolateral myocardial ischemia were studied in conscious dogs treated with the resolved optical isomers of sotalol. Studies were conducted 3-7 days after anterior myocardial infarction to determine the relative contributions of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade and direct Class III electrophysiologic actions in the antiarrhythmic and antifibrillatory actions of the isomers. With cumulative i.v. administration of up to 8 mg/kg, both the beta-blocking levorotatory isomer and the dextrorotatory isomer suppressed the induction of ventricular tachyarrhythmias by programmed stimulation in at least 50% of dogs tested. Both isomers produced equivalent 15-20% increases in normal zone ventricular refractoriness, thereby preventing propagation of programmed ventricular extrastimuli of sufficient prematurity to elicit tachyarrhythmias. The levorotatory isomer of sotalol prolonged the PR interval; the administration of the dextrorotatory isomer increased QTc and, in several dogs, was associated with the development of ventricular ectopy. The prior administration of 8 mg/kg of either optical isomer of sotalol prevented the immediate spontaneous development of ventricular fibrillation in response to ischemia at a distance from the previous site of infarction. These results suggest that alterations in ventricular refractoriness may underlie the antiarrhythmic and antifibrillatory actions of the optical isomers of sotalol and of racemic sotalol.

Action Potentials↗