Abstract

The neuroleptic drug droperidol has been shown to have clinically useful antiarrhythmic activity. Prior reports have resulted in conflicting conclusions regarding actions on ventricular myocardial fibers. The present study was carried out to determine whether droperidol did in fact affect the electrophysiological properties of guinea-pig papillary muscle fibers. By means of microelectrode recordings from preparations mounted in a single sucrose gap, the effects of concentrations from 10(-6) to 4 X 10(-5) M were studied on depolarization-induced automaticity, and on Vmax and its recovery time under several conditions of membrane potential, stimulation rate and external ion concentration. The results showed that at clinically relevant concentrations, droperidol significantly slows ventricular pacemaker activity, a depression reversible by epinephrine. Furthermore, Vmax was decreased and the time constant for Vmax recovery was significantly prolonged under several conditions which pertain to clinical arrhythmias, i.e., reduced membrane potential, elevated extracellular potassium concentrations and increased stimulation rate.