Basic safety pharmacology: the cardiovascular system

The cardiovascular system is one of the primary vital functions which have to be examined during safety pharmacology studies. Cardiovascular system fu nctioning is maintained by cardiac electrical activity and by pump-muscle f unction which contribute to haemodynamic efficacy. The aim of cardiovascula r safely pharmacology is to evaluate the effects of test substances on the most pertinent components of this system, in order to detect potentially un desirable effects, before engaging in clinical trials. In the basic program me, a detailed haemodynamic evaluation is carried out in the anaesthetized dog. It is completed by cardiac and/or cellular electrophysiology investiga tions in order to assess the arrhythmogenic risk. The basic programme can b e preceded by rapid and simple testing procedures, during the early drug di scovery stage. It should be completed, if necessary, by specific supplement ary studies, depending on the data obtained during the early clinical trial s. The following article describes and presents an analytic strategy aimed at problems of cardiovascular risk.