Heart preservation: analysis of cardioprotective infusate characteristics. Membrane stabilization, calcium antagonism, and protease inhibition on myocardial viability: a biochemical, ultrastructural, functional study.

Thirty-three canine hearts were isolated after initial cardioplegia and preserved for 6 hours in 4 degrees C saline solution with intermittent infusion of cardioprotective solution every hour. Reperfusion was observed for 2 hours under normothermic cross-circulation. Hearts were divided into five groups depending on the agent(s) added to the K(+)-Mg2+ cardioplegic solution (K(+)-Mg(2+)-CP) infused. Control hearts (n = 6) received K(+)-Mg(2+)-CP solution alone; group I (n = 7) received lidocaine, 200 mg/L, added to the K(+)-Mg(2+)-CP solution; group II (n = 7) received betamethasone (250 mg/L) added to the formula for group I; group III (n = 6) received diltiazem (200 micrograms/L) added to the formula for group II; group IV (n = 7) received aprotinin (150 KIU/L) added to the formula of group III. Coronary sinus MB fraction of creatine kinase level was significantly decreased at 60 and 120 minutes of reperfusion in group II, as was mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase level at 2 hours of reperfusion. Lysosomal enzyme release decreased in group IV. Myocardial adenosine triphosphate levels and total adenine nucleotides showed no significant difference among the groups at the end of reperfusion; however, myocardial adenosine diphosphate and adenosine monophosphate levels during reperfusion increased significantly in group I, and myocardial adenosine diphosphate and adenosine monophosphate levels at the end of reperfusion in groups I and IV were significantly higher than those of the control. Calcium overload, which was lowest in group II, was not completely prevented during reperfusion in any group. Left ventricular end-systolic pressure volume relationship in group II showed the "best" functional recovery. In addition, the ultrastructure of the left ventricular myocardium was well preserved in all groups. These results suggest that membrane stabilization with lidocaine and betamethasone affords beneficial effects on myocardial biochemical and functional viability. Diltiazem appears to be less effective in preventing calcium overload during ischemia-reperfusion, and protease inhibition with aprotinin (150 KIU/ml) seems to be highly effective in suppressing lysosomal enzyme activation-release and maintaining myocardial adenosine diphosphate and adenosine monophosphate levels.