Effect of lidocaine on reentrant ventricular circuits in acute ischemic situations. a computer modelling study

Lidocaine is used as an antiarrhythmic drug, its effectiveness is based on its ability to induce use- dependent block of cardiac sodium channels. This drug has an effect on conduction velocity (CV) and effective refractory period (ERP). Changes in CV and ERP could have an important role in the induction or suppression of reentrant circuits. We have studied the effect of lidocaine on CV, ERP and the characteristics of reentry conduction induced in regional ischemic tissue by computer simulations. The bi-dimensional tissue includes an ischemic zone that corresponds to 9 minutes of ischemia. This study demonstrates that the lidocaine reduces the CV 40% and 50% and prolongs of ERP 5% and 14% for 50 and 100 muM of lidocaine respectively. As well as, lidocaine can depress 20% and 60% the window vulnerable respectively.