Tetrodotoxin slightly shortens action potential duration in ventricular but not in atrial heart muscle

Tetrodotoxin (TTX), at concentrations significantly decreasing maximal upstroke velocity (dV/dtmax) of the action potential, exerted variable effects on action potential duration (APD) in different myocardial preparations. APD was virtually unchanged by tetrodotoxin in the guinea pig atrium, but slightly shortened in the guinea pig ventricle at maximally effective concentrations. In the human ventricle, both dV/dtmax and APD were reduced in the same concentration range of TTX. These results suggest that a TTX-sensitive sodium current significantly contributes to the repolarization phase of the action potential in ventricular but not in atrial heart muscle.