Electrophysiologic Properties of Nitroprusside in Man

Abstract

The effects of nitroprusside on His bundle electrograms, when given intra venously for 10 minutes, were studied in 14 patients with heart disease. Record ings were made at varied heart rates using atrial and ventricular pacing. Nitro prusside significantly reduced the AH interval, but it had no effect on the HV interval. Functional and effective refractory periods were measured by the ex trastimulus technique. The functional refractory period of the AV node as well as the effective refractory period of the ventriculoatrial conduction system sig nificantly decreased after nitroprusside infusion. This improvement in con duction can probably be explained by the systemic hypotension produced by nitroprusside, which reflexly will increase sympathetic drive to the heart and decrease vagal tone.

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