Cardiopulmonary toxicity of tetrachloroethylene

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Abstract
Tetrachloroethylene (1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethene) is a widely used organic solvent [and environmental pollutant] capable of producing adverse renal, hepatic and CNS effects. The cardiac effects of tetrachloroethylene were studied in several species. To standardize the dosimetry, tetrachloroethylene was prepared for i.v. injection in solutions of Tween 80, which had no demonstrable cardiotoxicity. In rabbits under urethane and in cats and dogs under pentobarbital, tetrachloroethylene increased the vulnerability of the ventricles to epinephrine-induced extrasystoles, bigeminal rhythms and tachycardia. The mean threshold doses of tetrachloroethylene were 10 mg/kg in rabbits, 24 mg/kg in cats and 13 mg/kg in dogs. In rabbits this threshold dose for cardiac arrhythmias corresponded to blood levels between 2.2-3.6 .mu.g/ml. Animals demonstrating a reflex bradycardia to vasopressor doses of epinephrine were relatively resistant to the arrhythmogenic action of tetrachloroethylene. Ventricular arrhythmias occurred in < 30% of the animals after tetrachloroethylene alone. In cats higher doses of tetrachloroethylene (40 mg/kg) produced acute pulmonary edema. Tetrachloroethylene (30-40 mg/kg) decreased left intraventricular dP/dt(max) [maximum change in pressure over time] in dogs, without significantly increasing left intraventricular end-diastolic pressure, although there was a transient decrease in arterial blood pressure that accompanied the early phase of myocardial depression.