Acidosis was found to diminish the effectiveness of various sympathomimetic amines (isoproterenol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine) in increasing the idioventricular rate in dogs with experimentally induced complete A-V heart block. This diminution was correlated with the degree of acidosis (metabolic and respiratory). Hyperkalemia without significant pH change had no such effect.
Guzmán et al. (Wed,) studied this question.