title: Contractile failure in early myocardial ischemia: models and mechanisms.
abstract: In early myocardial ischemia we find a number of salient electrical and ionic alterations. This article reviews action potential shortening, K accumulation, and contractile failure. Enhanced K efflux during early myocardial ischemia has been attributed to a number of mechanisms, including: the inhibition of active K uptake, osmotic changes, efflux of K ions linked to anion extrusion, cation exchange, altered cellular energy levels, in particular, the opening of ATP-dependent K channels, the involvement of other ion channels, a H/K-ion exchanger, and a catecholamine-dependent pathway. The different mechanisms are discussed. Action potential shortening was described as a salient characteristic of myocardial ischemia in 1954 by Trautwein and Dudel, and was attributed to enhanced outward current. Recently it has been shown by several authors that ATP-dependent potassium channels play a key role in this context. Contractile failure in early myocardial ischemia has been explained by shortening of the action potential duration, reduced cytoplasmic free calcium levels, intracellular acidification, and a rise in inorganic phosphate and Mg. In summary, it is concluded that ATP-dependent K channels may be involved in each of these three phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Medizinische Universitätsklinik Graz, University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy