Antifibrillatory effects of lidocaine and bretylium immediately postcardiopulmonary resuscitation

Abstract

The antifibrillatory effects of lidocaine and bretylium in the postcardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) setting were examined using ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) determinations in anesthetized dogs. The dogs were fibrillated and CPR was carried out with a pneumatic device. Lidocaine and bretylium were administered intravenously at the onset of CPR, and VFT was serially determined after defibrillation following three consecutive 3-minute CPR periods. A dose of 2 mg/kg of lidocaine caused a significant increase in VFT determinations after the first but not subsequent 3-minute CPR periods; a dose of 1 mg/kg of lidocaine was ineffective at any time point. A dose of 5 mg/kg of bretylium elevated the VFT after the second and third but not the first 3-minute period. In dogs who received lidocaine, a significant elevation of VFT determinations were found to be associated with a high blood lidocaine concentration (mean 13.8 ± 8.3 μg/ml). The present study demonstrates that a 2 mg/kg dose of lidocaine administered during CPR rapidly increases VFT determinations after CPR (within 5 minutes), whereas, a 5 mg/kg dose of bretylium significantly elevates VFT determinations but at a later time (within 10 minutes). The observed significant effect of lidocaine appears to be associated with high lidocaine blood concentrations (>6 μg/ml).