EFFECTS OF VERAPAMIL ON POSTEXTRASYSTOLIC POTENTIATION

To assess the effects of verapamil on postextrasystolic potentiation (PESP), contrast left ventriculography was performed in ten healthy anesthetized dogs before and after the intravenous administration of verapamil, 0.1 mg/kg. During the contrast ventriculography, a single atrial premature stimulus was introduced. Ejection fractions of a control beat and postpremature beat were measured before and after verapamil. Before verapamil, the mean ejection fractions of the control beat and the postpremature beat were 60 +/- 10 percent and 67 +/- 10 percent, respectively (p < 0.05). Following the administration of verapamil, the mean ejection fraction of the control beat decreased from 60 +/- 10 percent to 55 +/- 11 percent (p < 0.05). However, the mean ejection fraction of the postpremature beats increased when compared with the control beats following intravenous verapamil (65 +/- 8 percent and 55 +/- 11 percent, respectively; p < 0.05). These results suggest that PESP is not inhibited by the administration of intravenous verapamil.