bq-123 and Arrhythmias--Cardiac

To study the protective effects of ramipril in combination with BQ-123 on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in vivo in anesthetized rats.. Healthy male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups randomly and subjected to 30 min of myocardial ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion. Ramipril, BQ-123 and their combination were given to rats respectively. To observe the protection of their combination against myocardial I/R injury. HR, MAP and the change of ST-segment were observed. Ventricular arrthymias were monitored. The activity of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in plasma, the infarct size and morphologic change were examined.. Compared with I/R group, the elevation of ST-segment was decreased. Onsets of VPC and VT were delayed, durations of VPC and VT were shortened, especially their combination. Incidences of VPC, VT and VF were decreased. Activity of plasma CK and LDH was decreased, especially their combination. IS, IS/AAR and the morphology of myocardium were improved, especially their combination.. Ramipril, BQ-123 and combined using these two agents protected myocardium from I/R injury in vivo. The protective effects on delaying onset of VA, shortening duration of VA, decreasing the activities of CK and LDH, decreasing infrarct size and improving morphology of myocardium were better than using ramipril and BQ-123 alone.

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cardiotonic Agents; Creatine Kinase; Drug Synergism; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Male; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury; Peptides, Cyclic; Ramipril; Rats; Rats, Wistar

Endothelin (ET)-1(1-21) is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute ischemic arrhythmia. In the present study, we attempted to determine whether administration of ET-1(1-31) would result in arrhythmia in perfused isolated rat hearts. Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats weighing approximately 250-350 g were randomized into 6 groups. Heart was isolated and perfused in a Langendorff mode. The effects of ET-1(1-31) on arrhythmia, heart rate, coronary flow, and heart function were analyzed. Perfusion with 1 nM ET-1(1-31) resulted in frequent ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs) and ventricular tachycardia (VT). Overall VEB was 128.0 (approximately 66.0-1015.0), and the arrhythmia score (AS) was 2.18 +/- 0.87; both were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01). Pretreatment with perfusion of 10 nM of the ETA-receptor antagonist BQ(123) markedly attenuated the occurrence of VEB and VT induced by ET-1(1-31). AS in 10 nM BQ123 group was significantly lower than that in 1 nM ET-1(1-31) group (P < 0.01). The arrhythmia induced by 1 nM ET-1(1-31) was partially but significantly reduced by phosphoramidon (1 microM), a neutral endopeptidase/ET-converting enzyme inhibitor. ET-1(1-31) per se caused arrhythmia in perfused isolated rat hearts. This arrhythmogenic action is in part mediated by ET(A) receptor and may be attributed mainly to the conversion of ET-1(1-31) to ET-1(1-21.).

Topics: Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Endothelin-1; Glycopeptides; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Peptides, Cyclic; Perfusion; Protease Inhibitors; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, Endothelin

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) production increases during acute myocardial infarction (MI) and may contribute to the genesis of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). However, the antiarrhythmic effects of ET-1 receptor blockade, examined shortly after MI, have been debated. In the present study, we examined the effects of such treatment on VT/VF during the first 24 h post-MI.. Thirty-five Wistar rats (223+/-22 g) were randomly allocated to either the ET-1 receptor-A (ETA) antagonist BQ-123 (0.4 mg/kg, BQ-123 group, n=17), or normal saline (control group, n=18) and were subjected to coronary artery ligation. A single-lead electrocardiogram was continuously recorded for 24 h post-MI, using an implanted telemetry system, and episodes of VT/VF were analyzed. Monophasic action potential (MAP) recordings were obtained from the left (LV) and right (RV) ventricular epicardium at baseline, 5 min after treatment and 24 h post-MI.. There were 15.94+/-19.35 episodes/h/rat of VT/VF in the control group and 1.66+/-2.22 in the BQ-123 group (p=0.010), resulting in a lower (p=0.030) arrhythmic mortality in treated animals. The mean episode duration was 7.40+/-7.16 s for the control group and 2.30+/-1.37 s for the BQ-123 group (p=0.011). The maximum decrease in VT/VF was observed during the 1st, 5th and 6th hours post-MI. In the control group, LV MAP duration increased 24 h post-MI, displaying an increased beat-to-beat variation, but remained unchanged in the BQ-123 group.. Acute ETA blockade reduces the incidence of VT/V F during the first 24-h post-MI in the rat, through a decrease in the dispersion of repolarization.

Topics: Action Potentials; Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists; Female; Myocardial Infarction; Peptides, Cyclic; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Tachycardia, Ventricular; Telemetry; Ventricular Fibrillation

The effects of the endothelin ET(A), (BQ-123) and endothelin ET(A/B) (PD161721) receptor antagonists were investigated on ischaemia-induced arrhythmias and on the maximum following frequency. The study was carried out in Langendorff perfused rat hearts subjected to coronary artery occlusion in which the severity of arrhythmias, coronary perfusion pressure and heart rate were measured. The % incidence of ischaemia-induced irreversible ventricular fibrillation (ventricular fibrillation) was reduced significantly from 58%, in control rat hearts, to 0% (at 10(-7) and 10(-6) M PD161721 and 10(-6) M BQ-123 P<0.05). Maximum following frequency was measured in guinea-pig isolated atria. In the presence of normal extracellular [K(+)], BQ-123 and PD161721, at 10(-6) M, significantly decreased the maximum following frequency from 9.0+/-0.7 to 7.2+/-0.4 and from 8.3+/-0.4 to 6.7+/-0.3 Hz, respectively (P<0.05). These effects were not potentiated by raising the extracellular [K(+)] with the exception of 10(-9) M PD161721. In contrast, lignocaine's ability to reduce the maximum following frequency was greater in elevated (e.g. at 1.7x10(-4) M from 8.4+/-0.3 to 2.5+/-0.6 Hz) than in normal [K(+)] (from 9.0+/-0.3 to 4.9+/-0.5 Hz). In conclusion, both BQ-123 and PD161721 had an anti-fibrillatory effect in isolated rat hearts that may be due, at least in part, to an ability to reduce the maximum following frequency. This latter effect is unlikely to be due to Na(+) channel blockade since it was not markedly potentiated by elevation of extracellular [K(+)].

Topics: Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atrial Function; Dioxins; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electrophysiology; Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; Guinea Pigs; Heart; Heart Atria; Heart Rate; In Vitro Techniques; Lidocaine; Male; Muscle Contraction; Myocardial Ischemia; Peptides, Cyclic; Perfusion; Pressure; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of endogenously released and exogenously applied endothelin-1 (ET-1) on ischaemia-induced arrhythmias.. Ischaemia was induced in pentobarbitone-anaesthetised rats by ligation of a coronary artery for 30 min. To determine the role of endogenous ET-1 in ischaemic arrhythmias, either the ETA receptor antagonist BQ123 (50 micrograms/kg/min, i.v.; n = 10) or the ETB receptor antagonist PD161721 (0.1 or 1 mg/kg i.v.; n = 10 per group) was administered before the onset of ischaemia. To assess the influence of exogenous ET-1 on arrhythmias, ET-1 (1.6 nmol/kg i.v.) was administered 5 min before ischaemia in the absence (n = 12) or presence of BQ123 (n = 10) or PD161721 (n = 10). The total number of ventricular ectopic beats (VEB's) were counted and expressed as median (Q1-Q3) and the incidence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) in each group was determined. Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate (HR) were measured.. In control animals (n = 20), the incidence of VF was 65% and the total VEB count was 2775 (1870-4041). Both BQ123 and the higher dose of PD161721 reduced the VEB count to 654 (348-1489; P < 0.05) and 782 (432-1153; P < 0.05) respectively. Only PD161721 reduced the incidence of VF (to 10%; P < 0.05). Administration of ET-1 reduced VEB's to 1530 (1204-2017); P < 0.05) and the incidence of VF to 17% (P < 0.05). Neither PD161721 nor BQ123 modified this antiarrhythmic effect of ET-1, but rather enhanced the reduction in arrhythmias. Before occlusion, ET-1 caused a transient fall in MABP (from 107 +/- 3 to 63 +/- 3 mmHg; P < 0.05). PD161721, but not BQ123, partially blocked this effect. Upon occlusion, MABP fell in control animals (from 106 +/- 4 to 67 +/- 4 mmHg at 1 min post-occlusion; P < 0.05). This was significantly attenuated by ET-1, although neither of the antagonists were able to block this effect of ET-1.. ET-1 released endogenously during ischaemia is arrhythmogenic whereas exogenous application of ET-1 may, under certain conditions, be antiarrhythmic.

Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Blood Pressure; Dioxins; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; Endothelin-1; Endothelins; Male; Myocardial Ischemia; Peptides, Cyclic; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptor, Endothelin A; Receptor, Endothelin B; Time Factors; Ventricular Premature Complexes

The effects of intravenous (i.v.) infusions of exogenous endothelin-1 (ET-1, 0.05 and 0.1 nmol/kg/min) on incidence and severity of ventricular arrhythmias during 30-min period of acute myocardial ischemia were assessed in anesthetized rats. We examined the role of ETA-receptors in the proarrhythmic effects of both exogenous and endogenous ET using the ETA-receptor antagonist, BQ123. Exogenous ET-1 increased the severity and incidence of ischemic arrhythmias dose dependently. Both doses increased the total incidence of ventricular fibrillation (VF: from 30% in controls to 100 and 88% in rats given 0.05 and 0.1 nmol/kg/min ET-1, respectively); the higher dose also increased total arrhythmia count and duration of ventricular tachycardia (VT). BQ123 (10 micrograms/kg/min) completely abolished this proarrhythmic effect of exogenous ET-1. To assess the role of endogenous ET-1 in the genesis of ischemic arrhythmias, we studied the effects of a range of doses of BQ123 (5-100 micrograms/kg/min) on ischemic arrhythmias. Only one dose of BQ123 (10 micrograms/kg/min) attenuated arrhythmias by reducing total ventricular ectopic count (from 1,423 +/- 112 in controls to 677 +/- 159). The highest dose of BQ123 tested (100 micrograms/kg/min) increased arrhythmias by significantly increasing the incidence of irreversible VF (from 25 to 75%). These results suggest that exogenous ET-1 can aggravate ischemia-induced arrhythmias, an effect that is sensitive to ETA-receptor blockade. However, although endogenous ET-1 may make some contribution to the genesis of arrhythmias resulting from coronary occlusion through an action at ETA receptors, the observed proarrhythmic effect of BQ123 at high doses suggests that this may unmask an effect of ET-1 at other receptors.

Topics: Anesthesia; Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Blood Pressure; Coronary Vessels; Electrocardiography; Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; Endothelins; Heart Rate; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Myocardial Ischemia; Peptides, Cyclic; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley