Objective
Antiarrhythmic agents are classified into four groups according to their electrophysiological effects on the action potential of myocardial cells. Class 4 antiarrhythmic agents are expanding, their toxicity is dose-related and they may induce life threatening. Class 4 antiarrhythmics are used for treatment of supraventricular dysrhythmias, angina pectoris and hypertension. The drugs belong to calcium channel blockers and VERAPAMIL is one of them. The effects of verapamil on heart are predominant than others, whereas, the others can be more influence blood pressure.
Elevation of blood sugar (hyperglycemia) by verapamil is a common finding (because of inhibitory effects on insulin release from pancreatic beta cells). It is usually reversible within 24 hours. Verapamil has an opposite effect on blood triglycerides and has a potential for decreasing of blood triglycerides.
Materials & Methods
In this research, we tried to determine Verapamil effects on blood sugar and triglycerides. We selected ten dogs for this study. We never used any chemical drug for restraining because of their ability to changes blood elements. Different dosages of verapamil resolved in NaCl (0.9%) with three different dosages. Injectable drug were calculated based on drop per minute. According to the quick onset and half life of verapamil, we obtained blood samples before and after injection. The interval of injection of solutions was seven hours. We used 0.01 mg/kg/min for first injection and after 7 hours we continued with 0.02 and 0.03 mg/kg/min. The samples send to laboratory and after collection of blood results (see table 1 and 2), data calculated with Repeated Measures ANOVA by SPSS 9.01.
Results
Comparative study on normal blood results and after injections of Verapamil indicated that, this drug has a potential to elevation of blood sugar and decreasing of triglycerides (see table 3 and 4).
Conclusion
Because of verapamil ability to elevation of blood sugar, this drug must be used after collection of blood samples and with careful attention especially in those animals with high blood sugar history. Further more, this drug should not be used in diabetic patient because of effects on blood sugar and may induced hyperglycemic shock.