The influence of the calcium channel antagonist, verapamil and ethanol on the myocardial ultrastructure in the rat.

In this study we investigated the ultrastructural changes in rat myocardium induced by the concomitant treatment of animals with ethanol and the calcium channel antagonist, verapamil. The animals were given perorally either placebo or 8 g/kg body weight ethanol in combination with 3 mg/kg verapamil for 30 days. Rats treated with ethanol and verapamil had ultrastructural myocardiocyte damage. The ultrastructural changes were present in myofibrils, mitochondria, intercalated discs and plasmalemma. Due to widespread use of verapamil for treatment of a variety of cardiological disorders and, therefore, a high risk of its interaction with ethanol the data can be of potential significance for humans.