Electrophysiological abnormalities produced by ammonium in isolated perfused brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, hearts

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Abstract
Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities and arrhythmias have been observed in hyperammonemic patients and in animals injected with ammonium salts. Ammonium is excreted directly into the environment by fish, and it is a potent fish toxin, but the effects of ammonium on the cardiovascular system of fish are unknown. This study investigated the cardiotoxic effects of ammonium on isolated perfused fish hearts. These were compared with ammonium‐induced cardiac electrophysiological abnormalities observed in humans and other experimental animals. Isolated perfused fish hearts exhibit ammonium‐induced cardiac abnormalities similar to the ammonium‐induced abnormalities seen in the hearts of higher vertebrates. Therefore, we conclude that the myocardium of ammonotelic species does not possess a specialized ammonium detoxification mechanism, and that ammonium is cardiotoxic to salmonid fish.