The effect of cordarone on isoproterenol-induced damage to the myocardium in rats.

In this experimental work we evaluated the effect of preventively administered Cordarone on the myocardial damage of rats, caused by isoproterenol. Cordarone had prevented the early mortality of rats up to 1 h, however, after the administration of high doses of Cordarone the late mortality of experimental animals was increased. In the group of rats, which were treated by Cordarone there were almost no small necroses of myocardium, which were, however, contrary--very often found in the control animals. We guess that this effect of Cordarone is caused by its influence on the heart rate, which is slowing down, by its antiarrhythmic effect and by its efficiency to improve the perfusion of myocardium by its power to decrease the resistance of coronary vessels.