What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate how heart rate, autonomic transmitters, temperature, and potassium levels affect the wavelength of cardiac impulses in rabbit atrium.

January 1, 1986Circulation ResearchOpen Access

The wavelength of the cardiac impulse and reentrant arrhythmias in isolated rabbit atrium. The role of heart rate, autonomic transmitters, temperature, and potassium.

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Why the study?

Do changes in heart rate, autonomic transmitters, temperature, and potassium alter the wavelength of the cardiac impulse and reentrant arrhythmias in isolated rabbit atrium?

Population

Isolated narrow strips and 15 X 20 mm segments of rabbit atrium

Comparison

Administration of carbamylcholine (4 X 10 g/ml)… vs Control conditions

Design

Preclinical

Authors

JSJ.L.R.M. SmeetsGGD Amsterdam MAMaurits A. AllessieElectrophysiology WLWillem J. LammersErasmus MC

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Wavelength determines reentry size in isolated atrium; leaves open relevance to human arrhythmias or therapies.

Key Points

To investigate how heart rate, autonomic transmitters, temperature, and potassium levels affect the wavelength of cardiac impulses in rabbit atrium.
Measured wavelength in isolated rabbit atrium strips at different heart rates and conditions.
Administered autonomic transmitters and manipulated potassium levels and temperature to observe effects.
Induced reentrant tachyarrhythmias and compared circuit size to measured wavelength.
At 2 Hz pacing, wavelength was 42 mm; maximum pacing decreased it to 28 mm, while early premature beats reached 23 mm.
Carbamylcholine administration reduced wavelength to 21 mm at 2 Hz, and hypokalemia consistently shortened the impulse length across frequencies.
Reentrant circuits were similar in size to the measured wavelength, indicating the relationship between impulse wavelength and arrhythmia occurrence.

Structured PICO

Do changes in heart rate, autonomic transmitters, temperature, and potassium alter the wavelength of the cardiac impulse and reentrant arrhythmias in isolated rabbit atrium?

Population

Isolated narrow strips and 15 X 20 mm segments of rabbit atrium

Intervention

Administration of carbamylcholine (4 X 10(-7) g/ml), epinephrine (6 X 10(-7) M), hypokalemia (2 mM), hyperkalemia (5.6, 7.0, and >7.0 mM), and cooling (to 27 degrees C and lower) at various pacing rates

Comparator

Control conditions (e.g., pacing at 2 Hz, normal potassium, 37 degrees C)

Outcome

Wavelength of the cardiac impulse (distance traveled by the depolarization wave during the functional refractory period) and size of intraatrial reentrant circuitssurrogate

The study demonstrates that the wavelength of the cardiac impulse correlates closely with the size of reentrant circuits, emphasizing its importance in the occurrence of intramyocardial reentry.

Cite This Study

Smeets et al. (1986) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0d28fdd7cdc72b8665666a https://doi.org/10.1161/01.res.58.1.96

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The wavelength of the cardiac impulse and reentrant arrhythmias in isolated rabbit atrium. The role of heart rate, autonomic transmitters, temperature, and potassium.

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

The wavelength of the cardiac impulse and reentrant arrhythmias in isolated rabbit atrium. The role of heart rate, autonomic transmitters, temperature, and potassium.

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider