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Anesth Analg 1983; 62:827-830
© 1983 International Anesthesia Research Society
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Effects of Verapamil on Indirect Muscle Twitch Responses

Barry J. Kraynack, MD, Noel W. Lawson, MD, Jonas Gintautas, MD, PhD, and Hon Tjoenj Tjay, BS

Department of Anesthesiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas.

Abstract

The effects on indirectly elicited muscle twitch amplitude associated with the calcium (slow) channel blocker, verapamil, with or without pancuronium were investigated using isolated bullfrog sciatic nerve-sartorius muscle preparations. Verapamil (2–8 mM) produced a dose-related depression of indirect muscle twitch height (P < 0.05). Twitch response was depressed 11% below control by the lowest concentration employed and 86% by the highest concentration. Pancuronium (0.07 mM) depressed neuromus- cular function 35% below control (P < 0.05). The combination of 5 mM or 8 mM verapamil with 0.07 mM pancuronium caused significantly greater degrees of depression than either drug alone. Verapamil produced significant depression of twitch height in vitro in relatively high concentrations. The mechanism of action remains unknown. Verapamil possesses pharmacologic properties that may be unrelated to slow (calcium) channel inhibition. The reduction of muscle twitch height caused by verapamil alone (5 mM) could not be antagonized by neostigmine, calcium, or frequent washings.

Key Words: PHARMACOLOGY: verapamil • NEUROMUSCULAR TRANSMISSION: verapamil • IONS: calcium






Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 1983 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.