[Effects of propafenone on electrophysiologic changes caused by alteration of left ventricular afterload in anesthetized rabbits].
AIM
To study effects of propafenone (Pro) on ventricular electrophysiologic changes caused by alteration of left ventricular afterload of rabbit heart.


METHODS
Before and after i.v. Pro 3 mg.kg-1, changing afterload of left ventricle (LV), occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia, left ventricular diastolic thresholds (VDT), relative refractory period (RRP), effective refractory period (ERP), dispersion of refractory period, and ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) were recorded.


RESULTS
Increasing afterload of LV increased temporal dispersion of RRP and ERP [from 11 +/- 4 and 6 +/- 3 ms to 18 +/- 8 and 13 +/- 8 ms (+delta P = 8.4 +/- 2.9 kPa) individually (P < 0.05)] and decreased VFT [from 5.5 +/- 1.0 V to 3.9 +/- 0.9 V (P < 0.01)]; Ventricular arrhythmia was seen in all rabbits. But reducing left ventricular afterload did not alter the electrophysiologic parameters in LV and did not induce ventricular arrhythmia. Pro i.v. prolonged RRP and ERP, increased VDT and VFT (P < 0.01); Increasing or decreasing left ventricular afterload did not cause much alteration of ventricular electrophysiologic parameters (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSION
Pro inhibited increase of dispersion of refractory period and decrease of VFT caused by increase of left ventricular afterload and has an effect of anti-ventricular arrhythmia.