Verapamil Potentiate the Cardiodepressor Effect of Ethanol in Cat Papillary Muscle

The possible additive effect of ethanol (etoh) on verapamil on isolated papillary muscle of cats weighing 1200-1500g kept in oxygenated ringer locke solution was studied. papillary muscles were dissected from the right ventricle, mounted vertically in an acrylic support and stimulated electrically driven at a constant rate by means of silver at 37°c (ph=7.4). we studied the effect on peak tension development (ptd) of verapamil (5.4 x 10-4 mm) and two etoh concentrations (48.6 and 97.2 mm) in cat papillary muscle bathed in a normocalcic medium (2.2 mm) of ringer-locke solution. etoh in both concentrations potentiated the decrease of ptd (inotropic effect), (-53.31±2.07% and -60.00±3.50%, respectively) compared to verapamil previously incubated in bath (-38.1±2.26%). it was concluded that verapamil induces a decrease in myocardial contraction by a posterior consumption of sufficient etoh enough to put the patient in the risk of a lamentable induction of cardiac failure.