Effect of uniformly prolonged, and increased basic dispersion of repolarization on premature dispersion on ventricular surface in dogs: Role of action potential duration and activation time differences

Strong experimental evidence links ventricular fibrillation to an increased temporal dispersion of the recovery of excitability. The effect of an overall prolongation of repolarization and an increased basic dispersion of repolarization on premature dispersion was studied on ventricular surface in 10 dogs. Our observations reveal the operation of several fundamental electrophysiologic mechanisms controlling the conduction and the refractoriness in the ventricular myocardium in vivo. Action potential (AP) duration was influenced by the heart rate, the duration of the preceding AP and the proximity to the repolarization of the preceding AP. These effects can both slow, or enhance ventricular conduction, during propagation of premature impulses. This model may be applicable to several clinical situations where APs are prolonged (hypothermia, drug effects, changes in electrolytes) or when dispersion of refractoriness is increased (long QT-time syndrome, neural imbalance of the heart with and without heart disease).