Evaluation of the pharmacokinetics and electrocardiographic effects of intravenous verapamil with intravenous calcium chloride pretreatment in normal subjects. To evaluate the effects of calcium pretreatment on the disposition and electrocardiographic effects of verapamil, 8 healthy male volunteers received treatment in each of 3 phases in a randomized, double-blind, crossover manner. Phase I denoted 10 ml of 0.9% intravenous sodium chloride followed by 10 mg of intravenous verapamil; phase II denoted 10 ml of 10% intravenous calcium chloride followed by 4 ml of 0.9% intravenous sodium chloride; and phase III denoted 10 ml of 10% intravenous calcium chloride followed by 10 mg of intravenous verapamil. Blood samples for the determination of verapamil concentrations were drawn at 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes, and at 2, 4, 6, 10 and 24 hours. Blood pressure, heart rate and PR intervals were also measured at these times. Pretreatment of verapamil with intravenous calcium did not alter the disposition of intravenous verapamil. Blood pressure was not significantly altered in any treatment phase, although calcium tended to increase mean arterial pressure and verapamil abolished this effect. Calcium had no significant affect on verapamil-induced PR prolongation (maximum percent change in PR interval: phase I = 19 +/- 11%, phase III = 18 +/- 7%; time to maximal prolongation: phase I = 0.38 +/- 0.21 hours, phase III = 0.37 +/- 0.26 hours; and area under the percent change in PR vs time curve: phase I = 15.5 +/- 10, phase III = 21 +/- 9). Verapamil caused a reflex increase in heart rate of similar magnitude in both phases I and III (24 +/- 10% and 21 +/- 7%, respectively). 