Carbon monoxide and lethal arrhythmias. Research report, Jul 85-Jan 89

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6194646

Farber, J P; Schwartz, P J; Vanoli, E; Stramba-Badiale, M

The effect of acute exposure to carbon monoxide on ventricular arrhythmias was studied in dogs with a healed anterior myocardial infarction. The combination of mild exercise and acute myocardial ischemia induces ventricular fibrillation in 60 percent of the animals. Dogs that develop ventricular fibrillation are considered at high risk for sudden death and are defined as susceptible; dogs that survive the test without fatal arrhythmia are considered at low risk and are defined as 'resistant.' The effects of carboxyhemoglobin levels ranging from 5 to 15 percent were tested in resistant and susceptible dogs. A trend toward higher heart rates was observed at rest and during exercise in both resistant and susceptible dogs at all levels of carboxyhemoglobin, although significant differences were observed only with 15 percent carboxyhemoglobin. In resistant animals, in which acute myocardial ischemia is typically associated with bradycardia even under the control condition, the reflex response occurred earlier and was augmented after exposure to carbon monoxide. In both resistant and susceptible dogs, carbon monoxide exposure induced a worsening of ventricular arrhythmias in a minority of cases. The worsening was not reproducible in subsequent trials. These data indicate that acute exposure to carbon monoxide is seldom arrhythmogenic in dogs that have survived myocardial infarction. Nevertheless, the observation that carbon monoxide exposure increases heart rate at rest and during moderate exercise may have clinical implications relevant to patients with coronary artery disease.

• Research Organization: Oklahoma Univ., Oklahoma City, OK (United States). Health Sciences Center
• OSTI ID: 6194646
• Report Number(s): PB-91-243212/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACUTE EXPOSURE
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
CHALCOGENIDES
DISEASES
DOGS
EXERCISE
MAMMALS
MORTALITY
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES