Effect of alprazolam on ischemia and reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias in the isolated perfused rat heart.
The effects of the triazolobenzodiazepine anxiolytic, alprazolam, on the incidence of ischemia- and reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias was studied in the isolated buffer-perfused rat heart. Administration of alprazolam before and after myocardial ischemia resulted in a dosage-dependent reduction in the incidence and duration of reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation and was significant at a concentration of 1 X 10(-3) mol/l alprazolam. This cardioprotective effect was not extended to ischemia-induced ventricular dysrhythmias. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence that benzodiazepine drugs are able to provide a cardioprotective effect in the experimental setting of myocardial ischemia followed by coronary reperfusion.
Kingma
M L
ML
Quebec Heart Institute, Laval Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Ste-Foy, Que., Canada.
Kingma
J G
JG
D000525:Alprazolam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D003402:Creatine Kinase; D000525:Alprazolam