title: Attenuation by phentolamine of hypoxia and levcromakalim-induced abbreviation of the cardiac action potential.
abstract: 1. The effects of phentolamine (5-30 microM) and glibenclamide (10 microM) on action potential characteristics were examined in guinea-pig papillary muscle exposed to either hypoxia or levcromakalim (20 microM). 2. The hypoxia-induced abbreviation of action potential duration (APD) and effective refractory period (ERP) were attenuated but not abolished by glibenclamide (10 microM). Hypoxia reduced APD by 24 +/- 2 vs 65 +/- 4% in glibenclamide- and vehicle-treated tissue, respectively. 3. Phentolamine (10-30 microM) was less effective than glibenclamide in attenuating the hypoxic shortening of APD since APD was reduced by 38 +/- 10, 51 +/- 6% vs 65 +/- 4% in 10 and 30 microM phentolamine and vehicle-treated muscle, respectively. 4. Phentolamine, at concentrations of 10 and 30 microM, also reduced the upstroke velocity of the action potential and at 5 microM it increased the APD from 193 +/- 9 to 221 +/- 12 ms. 5. Glibenclamide completely abolished and phentolamine (30 microM) significantly attenuated levcromakalim-induced changes in duration and ERP. Levcromakalim reduced APD by 71 +/- 2 and 55 +/- 2% in control and phentolamine pretreated muscle, respectively. 6. It is concluded that phentolamine may block KATP channels at concentrations that also block sodium channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tweedie
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boachie-Anash
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019806:Cromakalim; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D010210:Papillary Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011758:Pyrroles; D019806:Cromakalim; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D005947:Glucose; D005905:Glyburide; D010646:Phentolamine