title: Amiodarone inhibits cardiac ATP-sensitive potassium channels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ATP-sensitive K+ channels (K(ATP)) are expressed abundantly in cardiovascular tissues. Blocking this channel in experimental models of ischemia can reduce arrhythmias. We investigated the acute effects of amiodarone on the activity of cardiac sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels and their sensitivity to ATP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Single K(ATP) channel activity was recorded using inside-out patches from rat ventricular myocytes (symmetric 140 mM K+ solutions and a pipette potential of +40 mV). Amiodarone inhibited K(ATP) channel activity in a concentration-dependent manner. After 60 seconds of exposure to amiodarone, the fraction of mean patch current relative to baseline current was 1.0 +/- 0.05 (n = 4), 0.8 +/- 0.07 (n = 4), 0.6 +/- 0.07 (n = 5), and 0.2 +/- 0.05 (n = 7) with 0, 0.1, 1.0, or 10 microM amiodarone, respectively (IC50 = 2.3 microM). ATP sensitivity was greater in the presence of amiodarone (EC50 = 13 +/- 0.2 microM in the presence of 10 microM amiodarone vs 43 +/- 0.1 microM in controls, n = 5; P < 0.05). Kinetic analysis showed that open and short closed intervals (bursting activity) were unchanged by 1 microM amiodarone, whereas interburst closed intervals were prolonged. Amiodarone also inhibited whole cell K(ATP) channel current (activated by 100 microM bimakalim). After a 10-minute application of amiodarone (10 microM), relative current was 0.71 +/- 0.03 vs 0.92 +/- 0.09 in control (P < 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amiodarone rapidly inhibited K(ATP) channel activity by both promoting channel closure and increasing ATP sensitivity. These actions may contribute to the antiarrhythmic properties of amiodarone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA. Douglas.Holmes@med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Chinitz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Artman
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Coetzee
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate / Q000502:physiology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D019269:Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate; D015221:Potassium Channels; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000638:Amiodarone