Class III antiarrhythmic agents were shown to induce fetal mortality and rhythm abnormalities in the rat heart. Although they do not prove a causal relationship between these effects, our observations may have implications for the clinical use of class III antiarrhythmic agents in women of childbearing potential.

H 345/52 blocks I(Kr) with high potency and I(Ca) with somewhat lower potency and was found to delay ventricular repolarisation without substantially increasing temporal or spatial dispersion and without inducing early after-depolarisations or TdP.

GLG-V-13, a novel 3,7-diheterabicyclo(3.3.1)nonane, was examined both in vivo and in vitro to characterize its electrophysiological, hemodynamic, and inotropic properties. In anesthetized guinea pigs, GLG-V-13 [0.5-500 micrograms/kg intravenously (i.v.), n = 6] lengthened the epicardial monophasic action potential (MAP) duration, the atrioventricular (AV) conduction time and the RR interval in a dose-dependent manner. At the highest dose, these variables were increased by 30, 13, and 23%, respectively. No significant effects were noted on QRS duration or blood pressure (BP). In rabbit atrial and papillary muscle preparations, GLG-V-13 (0.32-3.2 mg/L) did not exert a negative inotropic action and in isolated rabbit cardiomyocytes the agent blocked the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current (IKr, EC50 = 48 micrograms/L). In 10 intact anesthetized mongrel dogs, the left ventricular (LV) endocardial MAP was measured during atrial pacing before and after administration of GLG-V-13 (3 and 6 mg/kg i.v.). As compared with the drug-free state, the agent induced a significant prolongation of the MAP at all pacing frequencies (2.0-4.5 Hz). In 15 anesthetized dogs studied 1-4 days after two-stage ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), the antiarrhythmic/proarrhythmic potential of GLG-V-13 was compared with that of lidocaine. ECG, His bundle, LV (IZepi), and composite and normal zone composite electrograms were recorded. Programmed electrical stimulation (PES) and burst pacing (4.0-7.0 Hz) were delivered to the right ventricular outflow tract. In the drug-free state, sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) was inducible in 6 dogs (6 of 15). After lidocaine, SMVT was induced in 7 other dogs (13 of 15). GLG-V-13 prevented induction of SMVT in 5 of 6 dogs; a proarrhythmic action was noted in 1 dog only. GLG-V-13 slowed the heart rate (HR), increased the AH and the HV intervals, prolonged the paced (2.5 Hz) QT interval, and increased the ventricular effective refractory period (VERP). These effects were associated with 2:1 block of late potentials in the IZepi electrograms, a phenomenon also observed during rapid atrial pacing (2.5-3.5 Hz), suggestive of a marked prolongation of refractoriness in the ischemically damaged myocardium. In light of the recent Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST) study, the antiarrhythmic efficacy, together with the low proarrhythmic potential and lack of cardiodepressant properties of GLG-V-13, may merit further investigation of this novel class III antiarrhythmic agent.

No abstract