Effect of tetrodotoxin and ethmozine on arrhythmias of the dog's heart isolated in the late stage of experimental myocardial infarction

: Dog hearts with ventricular extrasystole that developed 24 hours after coronary artery occlusion were isolated and perfused with blood from support dogs. After heart isolation the rhythm disturbances persisted regardless the decreased frequency of the ventricular beats. Administration of tetrodotoxin (4 X 10-8--10-7 g/ml) and ethmozine (3--5X X10-5 g/ml) abolished ventricular arrhythmias and restored the sinus rhythm. Potential mechanisms of the increased susceptibility of ischemic myocardial fibers to tetrodotoxin and antiarrhythmic drugs are discussed.