Lidocaine in cardiac resuscitation from ventricular fibrillation.

INTERRUPTION of ventricular fibrillation with the use of drugs has generally been found to be unsuccessful. Previous work on local anesthetic agents suggested that such compounds could terminate ventricular fibrillation; however, Stearns, Maison and Stutzman reported little success with the use of procaine. Wegria and co-workers' conclude in their studies that procaine may stop fibrillation; however, the rhythmicity of the heart is depressed to such a degree that the subsequent massage results in a recurrence of fibrillation. It was a purpose of this study to develop a method of cardiac resuscitation from ventricular fibrillation with the use of drugs.