Electrocardiographic profile of oral piperazine citrate in healthy volunteers

The electrocardiographic (ECG) profile of oral piperazine citrate was determined in healthy volunteers. Piperazine caused reduction in heart rate in all the subjects. The highest percentage of change was 15.7. The average pretreatment (73.6+/-6.59 beats/min) when compared with the heart rate 1 hour after piperazine was administered (64.6+/-5.21 beats/min) was statistically significant (P=0.0054). The QT and JT intervals had average increases of 9.7% and 11.1%, respectively. In contrast, piperazine did not have any effect on the QRS complex following its administration. However, the average PR interval 1 hour after ingesting oral piperazine 2 g was significantly prolonged, 0.18+/-0.0063 seconds compared with a pretreatment average of 0.16+/-0.0098 seconds. The difference between the 2 values was statistically significant (P=0.0161). No dysrhythmic phenomena were seen. Sinus rhythm was maintained in all the volunteers, with every QRS-T complex preceded by a P wave. The direction and magnitude of the mean electric axis of QRS complex and T wave were not altered by piperazine. It is concluded that oral piperazine citrate induced some changes on the ECG profile of healthy human volunteers, typical of many potent antiarrhythmic agents.