Energy metabolism in the reversible and irreversible phases of severe myocardial ischemia.

In summary, myocardial ischemia is associated with the progressive depletion of HEP and the adenine nucleotide pool. Anaerobic glycolysis is essential for energy production in the severely ischemic myocyte and accounts for 80% of the HEP utilized by severely or totally ischemic myocardium. However, the rate of anaerobic glycolysis is too slow to prevent the progressive depletion of ATP. Anaerobic glycolysis stops entirely prior to the complete utilization of glycogen. Without remaining HEP stores or HEP production from anaerobic glycolysis, HEP utilization no longer can occur. This point occurs in vivo after about 40 minutes of severe ischemia and coincides with the onset of cell death. Modest depletion of ATP due to brief periods of transient ischemia may not cause cell death, but is associated with partial depletion of the adenine nucleotide pool. The slow repletion of this pool may be responsible for prolonged depression of contractile function.