ramipril and Ventricular-Fibrillation

The current study aims to explore the effect of ramipril on the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and its possible mechanism after myocardial infarction (MI) in rabbits.. A total of 24 rabbits were divided into three groups: the sham operation group (SHAM), the MI group, and the ramipril group (RAM). All groups were subjected to thoracotomy under sterile conditions; the MI and RAM groups underwent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. On the second day after surgery, the RAM group was given ramipril (1 mg/kg per day). The rabbits in each group were fed for 12 weeks. The monophasic action potentials of the epicardium, mid-myocardium and endocardium in each group were, respectively, recorded before the MI and at 12 weeks after the MI. Meanwhile, the episodes of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation (VT/VF) induced by procedure stimulations were counted, and the changes in L-type Ca flux (Ica-L) were recorded by means of the whole-cell patch-clamp technique.. The episodes of VT/VF were decreased in the RAM group after MI. At 12 weeks after MI, the transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) in the MI group was prolonged significantly compared with the SHAM and RAM groups. The density of Ica-L in the MI group was significantly lower than that any other group.. Ramipril manifestly decreases the incidence of VT/VF after MI in rabbits, and the mechanism may be associated with its inhibitory effect on electrical remodeling after MI.

Topics: Action Potentials; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Calcium Channels, L-Type; Calcium Signaling; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; Disease Models, Animal; Electrocardiography; Heart Ventricles; Myocardial Infarction; Myocardium; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Rabbits; Ramipril; Tachycardia, Ventricular; Time Factors; Ventricular Fibrillation

Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy increases susceptibility to reperfusion arrhythmias and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, may reduce that susceptibility via regression of LV hypertrophy. Rats (n=12 per group) were subjected to abdominal aortic constriction (AC) or sham-operation (SH) and from 3 to 6 weeks after surgery, 3 AC groups received ramipril (0.01, 0.1, or 1 mg/kg per day p.o.) while the SH and 1 AC group received vehicle. Six weeks after surgery (ie after 3 weeks of treatment), the hearts were excised and subjected to independent Langendorf perfusion of left and right coronary beds. The left coronary bed was then subjected to ischemia (7 min) and reperfusion (5 min). Hypertrophied hearts from the vehicle AC group showed a significant increase in the incidence of reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) compared with control hearts from the SH group (92%* vs 33%: *p<0.05); this difference was abolished by ramipril (42%, 50%, and 42%, at 0.01, 0.1, or 1 mg/kg per day, respectively). The LV weight/body weight ratio was significantly increased in all AC groups (regardless of ramipril treatment) relative to the SH group. At the cellular level, myocyte length was significantly increased in the vehicle AC group, but was normalized by ramipril treatment (1 mg/kg per day). At the molecular level, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) mRNA expression was also significantly increased in the vehicle AC group, but was again normalized by ramipril treatment (1 mg/kg per day). In conclusion, short-term treatment with ramipril reduced susceptibility to severe ventricular arrhythmias in hypertrophied rat hearts. This protection was achieved in the absence of a significant reduction in LV weight, but was accompanied by regression of myocyte hypertrophy, as reflected by reductions in cell size and ANF expression.

Topics: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Atrial Natriuretic Factor; Cardiomegaly; Disease Models, Animal; Heart Ventricles; Male; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury; Myocytes, Cardiac; Ramipril; Rats; Rats, Wistar; RNA, Messenger; Ventricular Fibrillation

Aminopeptidase P and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) are responsible for the metabolism of exogenously administered bradykinin in the coronary circulation of the rat. It has been shown that ACE inhibitors decrease cytosolic enzyme release from the ischemic rat heart and reduce reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias by increasing endogenous levels of bradykinin. It was hypothesized that the aminopeptidase P inhibitor apstatin could do the same. In an isolated perfused rat heart preparation subjected to global ischemia and reperfusion, both apstatin and ramiprilat (an ACE inhibitor) significantly decreased creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. The difference between the postischemia and preischemia levels of released CK was reduced 68% by apstatin and 68% by ramiprilat compared with control. The corresponding reductions in LDH release were 74% for apstatin and 81% for ramiprilat. A combination of the inhibitors was not significantly better than either one alone. Apstatin and ramiprilat also significantly reduced the duration of reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation by 69 and 61%, respectively. The antiarrhythmic effect of apstatin was reversed by HOE140, a bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist, suggesting that apstatin is acting by potentiating endogenously formed bradykinin. The results demonstrate that the aminopeptidase P inhibitor apstatin is cardioprotective in this model of cardiac ischemia/ reperfusion injury.

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Bradykinin; Cardiovascular Agents; Creatine Kinase; Drug Interactions; In Vitro Techniques; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Male; Peptides; Perfusion; Protease Inhibitors; Ramipril; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Reperfusion Injury; Ventricular Fibrillation

Inhibition of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) with ramipril was studied in male Wistar rats during long-term inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthase by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Chronic treatment with L-NAME in a dose of 25 mg/kg per day over 6 weeks caused myocardial hypertrophy and a significant increase in systolic blood pressure (245 +/- 16 mmHg) as compared to controls (155 +/- 4 mmHg). Animals receiving simultaneously L-NAME and ramipril were protected against blood pressure increase and partially against myocardial hypertrophy. L-NAME caused a significant reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR: 2.56 +/- 0.73 ml.kg-1.min-1) and renal plasma flow (RPF: 6.93 +/- 1.70 ml.kg-1.min-1) as compared to control (GFR: 7.29 +/- 0.69, RPF: 21.36 +/- 2.33 ml.kg-1.min-1). Addition of ramipril prevented L-NAME-induced reduction in GFR and renal plasma flow. L-NAME produced an elevation in urinary protein excretion and serum creatinine and a decrease in potassium excretion which was antagonised by ramipril. L-NAME-induced increase in plasma renin activity (PRA) was further elevated with ramipril treatment. Isolated hearts from rats treated with L-NAME showed increased post-ischaemic reperfusion injuries. Compared to controls duration of ventricular fibrillation was increased and coronary flow reduced. During ischemia the cytosolic enzymes lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase, as well as lactate in the venous effluent were increased. Myocardial tissue values of glycogen, ATP, and creatine phosphate were decreased, whereas lactate was increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; Animals; Arginine; Blood Pressure; Cardiomegaly; Cyclic GMP; Hypertension; Male; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Ramipril; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Renal Insufficiency; Ventricular Fibrillation

Local inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, kininase II) produces both-attenuation of angiotensin II generation and of bradykinin degradation. To delineate the participation of bradykinin in the cardioprotective actions of ACE inhibitors, experiments were performed in rats and dogs with cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injuries. In isolated perfused working rat hearts with regional myocardial ischemia, bradykinin in concentrations as low as 1 x 10(-9) M increases coronary flow and reduces the incidence and duration of reperfusion ventricular fibrillation. In addition, enzyme activities of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase as well as lactate output were decreased in the venous effluent of bradykinin-perfused hearts, which also showed improved cardiodynamic and metabolic parameters. Even concentrations of bradykinin lower than 1 x 10(-10) M, which were without influence on coronary flow, exerted comparable beneficial metabolic effects connected with reduced incidence and duration of ventricular fibrillation. Combined perfusions with threshold concentrations of bradykinin (1 x 10(-12) M) and the ACE inhibitor ramiprilat (2,58 x 10(-9) M), which were ineffective given alone, resulted in a marked cardioprotective effect. Perfusion with angiotensin II (1 x 10(-9) M) aggravated reperfusion arrhythmias and worsened myocardial metabolism. Bradykinin perfusion prevented this deterioration in a concentration-dependent manner. The bradykinin antagonist D-Arg-[Hyp2, Thi5,8, D-Phe7]-bradykinin (1 x 10(-5)) completely abolished the cardioprotective effects of bradykinin or the ACE inhibitor. However, higher concentrations of bradykinin (1 x 10(-7) M) or ramiprilat (2,58 x 10(-5) M) reversed these properties of the bradykinin antagonist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals; Bradykinin; Coronary Disease; Dogs; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Energy Metabolism; Hemodynamics; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury; Myocardium; Organ Culture Techniques; Pyrroles; Ramipril; Rats; Ventricular Fibrillation