The British veterinary journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Effects of antiarrhythmic drugs (verapamil, propranolol and lignocaine) on the electrocardiogram and haematology in adrenaline-induced arrhythmias in dogs anaesthetized with halothane.
Twenty adult (1-3 year old) mongrel dogs of either sex were used to study the effects of antiarrhythmic drugs in adrenaline-induced arrhythmias. The dogs were divided randomly into four groups of five dogs each (n = 5), anaesthetized with halothane and pretreated intravenously (i.v.) with verapamil 0.1 mg kg-1, propranolol 0.06 mg kg-1, or lignocaine 4 mg kg-1 while the controls received sterile physiological saline. Adrenaline (4 micrograms kg-1) was administered i.v. 10 min after drug pretreatments. ⋯ Data obtained from this study suggest that verapamil when administered early compares well with propranolol in the control of adrenaline-induced ventricular arrhythmias in the dog. Lignocaine when administered early prior to the induction of the arrhythmias protected against death but not arrhythmias. Drug pretreatments did not have any clinically significant effects on electrocardiographic parameters.