Effect of lidocaine on the early inward transient current in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibers.

We used two experimental techniques to study the effect of lidocaine hydrochloride on the early inward transient (sodium) current as it is reflected by the maximum rate of change of action potential phase 0 (Vmax). We assessed the effect of lidocaine on Vmax as Purkinje fibers were slowly depolarized by increasing the extracellular potassium concentration from 4.0 to 16.0 mM; these voltage-dependent effects were compared with lidocaine's effect on membrane responsiveness (which measures both the time and the voltage dependence of Vmax). We also used a voltage clamp technique to establish the effect of lidocaine on the voltage dependence of Vmax by measuring Vmax 800-1000 msec after transmembrane voltage (Vm) had been changed in small steps. We studied the effect of lidocaine on the time course of early inward transient current reactivation by depolarizing the membrane to -25 +/- 5 mv for 100 msec to inactivate this current, clamping Vm to a repolarized test voltage for various periods, and then measuring phase 0 Vmax of action potentials elicited immediately after termination of the voltage clamp. We showed that lidocaine at 5 mg/liter, but not a 1 mg/liter, shifted the steady-state Vmax- Vm relationship to a more negative position on its voltage axis by about 5 mv and markedly slowed the reactivation of the measure early inward transient current.