A cardiac arrest model in rats for evaluating the antihypoxic action of flunarizine

Abstract Ventricular fibrillation was used to produce hypoxia in unanaesthetized rats. Flunarizine was given as hypoxia protectant in doses of 1 mg/kg i.v. just before fibrillation, which was induced with a small bipolar electrode catheter placed in the right ventricle. Aortic blood pressure (AoP), electrocardiogram (ECG) and the respiratory amplitude were recorded continuously. A significant lethality in the control group and the significantly enhanced recovery of ECG, AoP and respiration in the flunarizine groups make the model suitable to indicate antihypoxic actions of a drug.