Differential effect of selected antiarrhythmic drugs on coronary artery ligation-induced ventricular arrhythmias on the right or left sides.

The differential effect of the antiarrhythmic agents quinidine, propranolol, verapamil and sotalol was studied on right and left sided ventricular arrhythmias induced by ligation of the right coronary artery or anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery, respectively. Quinidine (0.30 mg/kg/min), propranolol (0.30 mg/kg/min), sotalol (0.25 mg/kg/min) and verapamil (0.018 mg/kg/min) were injected in unanesthetized dogs 18-24 h after coronary artery ligation. The doses of test drugs required for suppression of the ventricular arrhythmias were higher in the case of quinidine, sotalol and verapamil, but not in case of propranolol. The potency of the selected drugs in abolishing ventricular ectopics was, in descending order: verapamil, sotalol, propranolol and quinidine. The differential antiarrhythmic effect of these drugs in ventricular arrhythmias is discussed.