An alpha-1-adrenergic receptor subtype is responsible for delayed afterdepolarizations and triggered activity during simulated ischemia and reperfusion of isolated canine Purkinje fibers.

Our results indicate that a specific alpha 1-adrenergic pathway is involved in the induction of triggered activity in the setting of ischemia and reperfusion and suggest that interventions used to block this specific pathway have the potential to be antiarrhythmic. They also emphasize the importance of the magnitude of hypoxia in the expression of the arrhythmias.