Objective To investigate the effect of Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor

Empagliflozin（EMPA）

on ventricular arrhythmias （VAs） in myocardial infarction （MI） rats and its possible mechanism. Methods The MI models of non-diabetic male SD rats were established by ligation of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery

and the rats were divided into MI group

low-EMPA group （10 mg/kg/d） and high-EMPA group（30mg/kg）. The Sham group underwent thoracotomy but was not treated with coronary ligation. Drug intervention continued for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks

echocardiography was performed

the induction rate of VAs was detected by burst stimulation. Myocardial morphology was observed by HE staining

and autophagy related proteins P62

Beclin-1

LC3I and LC3II were detected by western blot. Results ① Ultrasonography: Compared with Sham group

LVAWT

IVST and EF in MI group were significantly decreased （P < 0.05）

LVEDD and LVEDS were significantly increased （P < 0.05）

with no statistically significant differences in LVPWT（P > 0.05）. Compared with the MI group

LVAWT

IVST and EF in low-EMPA group and high-EMPA group were significantly increased （P < 0.05）

whereas LVEDD and LVEDS were significantly decreased （P < 0.05）

with no statistically significant differences in LVPWT （P > 0.05）. While LVAWT

LVPWT and EF of low-EMPA group and high-EMPA group had no statistical difference （P > 0.05）. The IVST of low-EMPA group was significantly higher than that of high-EMPA group （P < 0.05）. The LVEDS and LVEDD of low-EMPA group were significantly lower than those of high-EMPA group （P < 0.05）. ②VAs scores: Compared with the Sham group

VAs scores in MI group were significantly higher （P < 0.05）; Compared with the MI group

VAs scores in low-EMPA group and high-EMPA group were significantly decreased（P < 0.05）

with the effect of the high-EMPA group being more obvious

but there was no significant difference in VAs scores between the low-EMPA group and high-EMPA group（P > 0.05）. ③ Western blot: Compared with the Sham group

the expression of P62 in the MI group increased （P < 0.05）

while Beclin-1

LC3II expression decreased （P < 0.05）. Compared with the MI group

the expression of P62 in the low-EMPA and high-EMPA groups decreased（P < 0.05）

with Beclin-1 and LC3II expression increasing （P < 0.05）. Compared with the high-EMPA group

the expression of P62 in the high-EMPA group decreased （P < 0.05）

with Beclin-1 and LC3II expression increasing（P < 0.05）. Conclusion EMPA could significantly improve the induction rate of VAs dose-dependently in rats with myocardial infarction

and its possible mechanism was to improve cardiac function and cardiac structure remodeling and activate myocardial autophagy.