Abstract
Summary and Conclusion
1. In the isolated rabbit heart thiomerin appeared to slow atrio-ventricular and intraventricular conduction and prolong the “electrical systole” (Q-T interval) in doses, as to mercury content, over 200 times those of meralluride, and 1000 or more times those of other commonly used mercurial diuretics. The rapidly cardiolethal dosages bore even larger ratios. Idio-ventricular slowing and asystole, associated with marked cardiac dilatation and failure of contractility, and not ventricular ectopic rhythms, constituted the lethal manifestations of the thiomerin perfused heart.
2. In contrast to the marked increase in cardiac tolerance to other organic mercurial compounds as a result of preliminary administration of BAL, and to a lesser extent, of ascorbic acid and thiamin, BAL approximately doubled the cardiolethal dosage of thiomerin and the two vitamins were not significantly cardioprotective against the monothiol mercurial.
3. BAL markedly reversed the deleterious conduction effects of even large doses of thiomerin; ascorbic acid did so frequently, after relatively small doses; thiamin reversed the milder effects of thiomerin but in a minority of cases.
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