The effect of ethanol on arrhythmias and myocardial necrosis in rats with coronary occlusion and reperfusion.

Ethanol (1, 2 and 3 g/kg, intravenously) decreased the severity of the ischemic arrhythmias in rats with ligation of the left coronary artery and subsequent coronary reperfusion. Reperfusion arrhythmias occurring intensively after occlusion times of 5 and 15 min, respectively, were however not antagonized. Similar results were obtained in isolated perfused rat hearts with final concentrations of 4 and 6 mg ethanol/ml. In rats with reperfusion after 60 min of coronary occlusion, 2 g ethanol/kg significantly reduced the percentage of the ischemic area which underwent necrosis. Moreover, the increase in the wet weight/dry weight ratio of the lungs, as a measure of edema formation, was prevented. The ethanol effects are discussed in the light of present knowledge of the pathogenesis of arrhythmias and myocardial necrosis in experimental myocardial infarction.