Histamine release during an experimental coronary thrombosis in awake dog.

Histamine is released into the systemic circulation during anaphylaxis, by drugs and surgical procedures. Studies in animal models have shown that released histamine is one of the major mediators of arrhythmia occurring during anaphylaxis or the administration of histamine-releasing drugs. The variations in plasma histamine levels in dogs with a subacute coronary thrombosis were investigated and the effects of dimaprit and cimetidine on the electrocardiographic consequence of this thrombosis and on histamine release were assessed. During the first day after the myocardial infarction a ventricular arrhythmia developed and plasma histamine levels were found significantly increased, returning to the basal values when the sinusal rhythm was restored. Dimaprit was able to decrease the number of ventricular extrasystoles and to modulate plasma histamine levels. The action of dimaprit on ECG was not reversed by pretreatment with cimetidine, which on the contrary was able to antagonize the decrease in plasma histamine concentrations induced by dimaprit perfusion.