title: Potassium channels and the coronary circulation.
abstract: 1. Mechanisms responsible for the regulation of coronary blood flow during physiologically important situations, such as reactive hyperaemia, hypoxia, ischaemia, coronary artery occlusion and increased metabolic demand, have eluded the scientific community. 2. As knowledge regarding potassium channel physiology and biophysics has expanded, the potential role of these channels in regulating coronary blood flow has been studied. 3. Recent data have demonstrated that ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K+[ATP]) play an important role in maintaining basal coronary blood flow, contribute to the regulation of coronary blood flow during hypoxia, acidosis, ischaemia, reactive hyperaemia and ischaemic preconditioning. The role of potassium channels in the regulation of coronary blood flow during increases in metabolic stimulation is controversial. 4. Thus, potassium channels, particularly K+[ATP], appear to play an important role in regulating coronary blood flow during physiologically important stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and the Cardiovascular Center, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City 52252, USA.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Dellsperger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels