THE EFFECTS OF PRONETHALOL, DICHLOROISOPRENALINE AND DISOPYRAMIDE ON THE TOXICITY TO THE HEART OF OUABAIN AND ANAESTHETICS.

An intermittent infusion of ouabain, 4 mug during 30 sec every 1.5 min, regularly caused ventricular fibrillation in guinea-pigs. The beta-receptor blocking drug, pronethalol (5 mg/kg), increased the dose of ouabain required to produce extrasystoles, completely prevented fibrillation, and significantly raised the lethal dose of ouabain. Dichloroisoprenaline had similar effects, but a dose of 15 mg/kg was required. When fibrillation had already been produced by ouabain, pronethalol (3 to 4 mg) administered slowly restored a regular rhythm, but rapid injection sometimes produced cardiac arrest. As much as 20 to 25 mg/kg of pronethalol could be given to animals deeply anaesthetized with urethane or pentobarbitone, but with light chloroform or ether anaesthesia, 5 mg/kg of pronethalol caused a large fall in blood pressure and complete heart-block.