Blockade of IKs by HMR 1556 increases the reverse rate‐dependence of refractoriness prolongation by dofetilide in isolated rabbit ventricles

The rate-dependent contributions of the rapid and slow components of the cardiac delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr and IKs, respectively) to repolarization are not fully understood. It is unclear whether the addition of IKs block will attenuate reverse rate-dependence seen after IKr block. 2. The individual and combined electrophysiological effects of selective IKr and IKs blockers, dofetilide and HMR 1556, respectively, were evaluated using Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts. Monophasic action potential duration at 90% repolarization (MAPD90) and ventricular effective refractory period (VERP) were determined at cycle lengths (CLs) of 200-500 ms (at 50 ms intervals). 3. Dofetilide (1-100 nM) prolonged MAPD90 in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.001, n = 6) with reverse rate-dependence (P < 0.0001). In contrast, HMR 1556 (10-240 nM) alone did not prolong MAPD90. However, in the presence of 7.5 nM dofetilide, HMR 1556 (100 nM) increased the extent of reverse rate-dependence by further prolonging MAPD90 at CLs of 400, 450 and 500 ms (P < 0.05, n = 9) and, to a lesser extent, at shorter CLs (e.g. by 17 +/- 4 ms at CL 500 vs 2 +/- 3 ms at CL 200 ms). 4. Effects of dofetilide and HMR 1556 on VERP were similar to those on MAPD90. The slope of the VERP vs CL relation was steeper after the combination (0.081 +/- 0.013) than after dofetilide alone (0.028 +/- 0.018, P < 0.01, n = 9). 5. Blockade of rabbit IKs increased reverse rate-dependence of IKr block.