Effect of reserpine on the ultrastructure and electrical instability of the heart

: The time course of ultrastructural and electrophysiological disorders and their role in sudden death of ventricular fibrillation at various intervals of desympathization caused by reserpine administration were studied. Early in the effect of reserpine (up to 30 min), glycogen granules were found to accumulate in the sarcoplasm of cardiomyocytes. At later intervals (1-24 hours), along with glycogen accumulation destructive lesions of organoids were observed in the form of myofibrillar recontraction, destruction of mitochondria, degeneration of sarcolemma. These changes are morphologic reflections of metabolic disorders developing in the myocardium under conditions of acute desympathization of the patient, and may be one of the causes of increased vulnerability of the heart in fibrillation.