Alteration Of Ouabain Toxicity By Cardiac Denervation

Interruption of cardiac sympathetic innervation by surgical procedures, spinal anesthesia, ganglionic blockade, or reserpine pretreatment altered ouabain toxicity by increasing threshold arrhythmic and lethal doses, decreasing maximal ectopic rate, and decreasing incidence of ventricular fibrillation as the terminal event. Removal of parasympathetic innervation to the heart failed to modify ouabain toxicity.