title: Effects of mercury on the mechanical and electrical activity of the Langendorff-perfused rat heart.
abstract: The effects of increasing concentrations of mercury (Hg2+) chloride (0.5, 1, 2 and 10 microM) on the myocardial electromechanical activity were studied on 10 Langendorff-perfused rat hearts. Hg2+ decreased the development of isovolumic systolic pressure from 20.3 +/- 2.13 mmHg under control conditions to 6.25 +/- 1.32 mmHg at 10 microM HgCl2 (P < 0.01) (diastolic pressure = 0 mmHg). The atrial and ventricular rates also decreased at 0.5 microM, 1 microM and 2 microM HgCl2 when compared to the Hg(2+)-free solution (from 201 +/- 4 to 126 +/- 15 bpm). However, at 10 microM Hg2+ the atrial rate increased (155 +/- 19 bpm) whereas the ventricular rate did not change significantly (119 +/- 13 bpm). A delay in atrioventricular conduction occurred at 0.5 microM Hg2+ (64 +/- 4 ms in the Hg(2+)-free solution to 91 +/- 14 ms in the presence of 0.5 microM Hg2+, P < 0.05) with no further changes at higher Hg2+ concentrations. The QRS-T duration also increased as a function of increasing Hg2+ concentrations (58 +/- 5.5 ms in the Hg(2+)-free solution to 123 +/- 15 ms in the presence of 10 microM Hg2+, P < 0.01). Qualitative changes of ECG such as extrasystoles, atrial or ventricular arrhythmias and A-V blocks were also observed. The inhibitory action of Hg2+ on ATP hydrolysis and on Ca2+ and Na(+)-K+ ATPases suggested to occur in other tissues could be the mechanism responsible for the observations reported here.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brasil.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Massaroni
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stefanon
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Vassallo
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D013599:Systole / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D008627:Mercuric Chloride