Significance of Enzyme Release from Ischemic Isolated Rat Heart

Abstract

ABSTRACT Whole‐heart ischemia has been induced in isolated working rat heart. The distribution of the reduced coronary flow was even, as judged by 3 H‐antipyrine autoradiographs. Reducing the coronary flow resulted in myocardial ischemia, as indicated by a lowered tissue content of glycogen, ATP and creatine phosphate and accumulation of lactate. After a reperfusion period of 30 min there was a restoration of glycogen, ATP and creatine phosphate for hearts that were ischemic for 5 and 10 min, with a concomitant normalization of tissue lactate. Hearts that were ischemic for 30 min did not show restoration of high energy phosphates and glycogen. There was a leakage of ASAT, CK and LD in all groups of hearts, suggesting that a release of these enzymes does not necessarily indicate an irreversibly damaged myocardial cell.