Effect of almokalant a specific inhibitor of IKr on myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion induced arrhythmias in rabbits.

The antiarrhythmic effect of almokalant, a new type III antiarrhythmic agent, was examined by occluding and releasing the left circumflex coronary artery for 10 min, respectively, in openchest, pentobarbital-anaesthetized albino rabbits. Almokalant pretreatment increased the number of animals developing no arrythmias (5/9 vs. 1/12 in controls), and decreased the incidence of ventricular fibrillation (1/9 vs. 9/12) during reperfusion. According to our results almokalant can protect the heart against arrhythmias induced by ischaemia and reperfusion.