ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the specific sodium-hydrogen antiporter HOE642 could modifies myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. METHODS: The isolated working rat heart model was used. The rats were divided into four subgroups: Ischemic reperfusion (Control group),HOE642 given before Ischemia (HOE-Pr), HOE642 given during Ischemia (HOE-Is), HOE642 given during reperfusion (HOE-Re). LVDP, LVEDP, arrythmia, coronary flow and myocardial enzymes were measured. RESULTS: HOE642 given 15 minutes before ischemia increased coronary flow and significantly improved cardiac function, reduced the severity of ischemia, reperfusion arrhythmia and myocardial CK-MB, LDH release, but had no effect on heart rate. HOE642 given during ischemia only reduced LVEDP, the ischemia severity, reperfusion arrhythmia and myocardial enzyme release. It had no effect on heart rate or LVDP. There were no effects when the drug was given during reperfusion. CONCLUSION: HOE642 demonstrates significant cardioprotective effects. These protective effects are most significant when the drug is given before ischemia is induced.