The effect of nitroglycerin, dipyridamole, and propranolol on glycogen metabolism during coronary artery ligation in dogs.

Ligation of one of the small branches of the canine left anterior descending coronary artery produced a typical anaerobic response in the region of myocardium that had been perfused by the ligated artery; the myocardial glycogen and phosphocreatine levels decreased, and the myocardial phosphorylase activity increased after coronary artery ligation. Pretreatment of the dogs with nitroglycerin or propranolol prevented or diminished the typical anaerobic response of the myocardium to coronary artery ligation, but the pretreatment with dipyridamole did not.