Contrast media-induced ventricular fibrillation.

The incidence of ventricular fibrillation with various contrast media (CM) was assessed by canine right coronary arteriography. After the catheter was impacted into the right coronary artery, it was infused continuously with CM for 25 seconds or until fibrillation occurred. The incidences of ventricular fibrillation were significantly higher with high-osmolality CM and low-osmolality CM without sodium ions than with low-osmolality CM containing a physiologic amount of sodium ions. The incidence of ventricular fibrillation was suggested to be related to hyperosmolality and the absence of sodium ions even in low-osmolality CM.