Does molar and half-molar sodium lactate restore heart beat and increase idioventricular rate in patients with cardiac arrest or complete A-V heart block?
Molar and half-molar sodium lactate effectively restores heart rhythm and increases ventricular rate in patients with cardiac arrest or complete A-V block without inducing dangerous arrhythmias.
Molar and half-molar sodium lactate was efficacious (a) in restoring the heart beat following episodes of cardiac arrest, (b) ventricular standstill occurring during repeated Stokes-Adams seizures and (c) in increasing the idioventricular rate in the presence of complete A-V heart block. The increase in rate was related to the rapidity and amount of injection. These effects were associated with an increase in blood pressure and other evidences of improvement in the clinical state. No ventricular extrasystoles or other dangerous types of ectopic rhythms were observed in these subjects. The possible mechanisms by which the sodium lactate produces these effects are discussed.
Bellet et al. (Sun,) studied this question.