ajmaline and Hypertension

Topics: Ajmaline; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Antihypertensive Agents; Bradycardia; Dietary Supplements; Drug Contamination; Female; Herb-Drug Interactions; Humans; Hypertension; Hypotension; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Plant Preparations; Reserpine

The effects of a herbal drug, Ajmaloon (Hamdard, India), on the arterial blood pressure, heart rate (HR) and baroreceptor-heart rate reflex were studied in anesthetized rabbits and monkeys. Intravenously administered Ajmaloon produced a dose-dependent hypotensive response in both the species without any significant effect on the heart rate. Only in high doses (200 mg/kg or more). Ajmaloon produced a bradycardia response in rabbits. Even the highest dose (300 mg/kg) of Ajmaloon used in the present investigation did not cause arrhythmia or any other conduction disorder or respiratory distress. Baroreflex SAP-HR curve was shifted to the left of the control following treatment with 100 mg/kg intravenous Ajmaloon in both the species. Loss of tachycardia response to fall in arterial pressure in Ajmaloon treated animals indicated the drug induced suppression of normally existing sympathetic excitatory influence in response to hypotension. Baroreflex regulatory HR response to hypertension remains intact after intravenous administration of 100 mg/kg Ajmaloon, a dose much higher than the prescribed highest oral dose for humans. Intact baroreflex regulation of arterial blood pressure in response to hypertension in Ajmaloon treated mammals suggests that in patients besides lowering the blood pressure. Ajmaloon might not interfere with the normal blood pressure regulatory mechanism through arterial baroreceptors during hypertension.

Topics: Ajmaline; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Baroreflex; Blood Pressure; Bradycardia; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Haplorhini; Heart Rate; Hypertension; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Rabbits; Random Allocation; Rauwolfia

When no complete atrioventricular block (CAVB), paroxysmal and spontaneous, is recorded, implanting a pacemaker in patients with chronic bundle branch block (CBB) has an arbitrary aspect which must be reduced as much as possible. In order to determine more precisely the criteria predicting an evolution towards CAVB, we studied the electrocardiographic changes observed in 164 patients with various types of CBB. 110 patients had a right bundle branch block which was isolated (RBB) in 16 cases, associated with a left anterior hemiblock (RBB + LAH) in 74 cases and associated with a left posterior hemiblock (RBB + LPH) in 20 cases; 54 patients had a left bundle branch block with a normal axis in 26 cases (LBB - NA) and with a strongly left axis in 28 cases (LBB - LA). All patients had been fitted with a pacemaker. Patients were followed up for a mean period of 5 years (59.1 +/- 25.3 months), the minimum being 2 years. 49.4 p. 100 of them had experienced one ore serveral syncopes. The basal HV interval, studied in 90.2 p. 100 of the patients, was 60 ms or more in 64.9 p. 100 of those who were explored. An ajmaline test, performed in 60 of the 85 patients whose basal HV was less than 70 ms, demonstrated at least a 100 ms or more prolongation of HV in 41 cases (68.3 p. 100).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ajmaline; Bundle-Branch Block; Coronary Disease; Electrocardiography; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hypertension; Male; Middle Aged; Pacemaker, Artificial; Prognosis; Time Factors

Topics: Action Potentials; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ajmaline; Bunaftine; Coronary Disease; Diabetes Mellitus; Digoxin; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart; Heart Diseases; Heart Ventricles; Humans; Hypertension; Male; Middle Aged; Ventricular Function

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Ajmaline; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Blood Pressure; Carbamates; Coronary Disease; Drug Resistance; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart Rate; Heart Ventricles; Humans; Hypertension; Infusions, Parenteral; Lidocaine; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Phenytoin; Procainamide; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Quinidine; Tachycardia

Topics: Ajmaline; Anemia; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmia, Sinus; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atrial Fibrillation; Cardiac Complexes, Premature; Heart Failure; Humans; Hypertension; Hyperthyroidism; Rauwolfia; Tachycardia