Effects of oral carbocromene pretreatment on infarct size following experimental coronary artery occlusion.

This study examines the acute effects of the antianginal drug carbocromene (chromonar) in dogs (20 mg/kg p.o., twice daily for 8 weeks) on mortality, hemodynamics, coronary collateral blood flow, and myocardial infarct size. Following the chronic pretreatment and during acute phase of the experiments, the animals received an intravenous bolus of 4 mg/kg of carbocromene 15 min prior to left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion, and 40 micrograms/kg/min as an infusion during occlusion and reperfusion. Total mortality 2 days postocclusion was 50% in saline control experiments but 20% in carbocromene-treated animals (p less than 0.05). Hemodynamics were not significantly changed during drug administration except for a significant ST-segment elevation during vessel occlusion. Coronary collateral blood flow increased after carbocromene treatment by 30% (p less than 0.05) in the ischemic endocardial region and by 60% (p less than 0.02) in the border zone of the area at risk of infarction. Flow in nonischemic myocardium did not change so that "coronary steal" was not observed. At reperfusion, a flow increase occurred in the ischemic and border zones. Myocardial infarct size was 24% smaller after carbocromene than in control animals (p less than 0.02) when compared to the AR, and 46% smaller (p less than 0.01) in relation to the total left ventricle. We conclude that carbocromene administered orally before acute coronary artery occlusion and intravenously during occlusion and subsequent reperfusion can reduce infarct size by salvage of lateral and subepicardial border zones.