[Effect of lithium preparations on cardiac arrhythmias induced by strophanthin].

It was shown in experiments on cats that when strophanthin K injected intravenously induced ventricular arrhythmias followed by an insignificant reduction of the sympathetic activity (recorded from the cardiac nerve), lithium chloride and lithium hydroxybutyrate did not produce any effect on arrhythmia but lowered the sympathetic activity. When strophanthin-induced arrhythmias were accompanied by an increase in the sympathetic activity (animals with vagus section and denervation of the sinocarotid and cardioaortal zones), lithium hydroxybutyrate led to the diminution of the sympathetic activity and exerted antiarrhythmic effects. It is concluded that in the mechanisms of the antiarrhythmic effect an important role belongs to its depressant effect on the hyperactivated adrenergic extracardiac apparatus.