Pharmacological profile of nicardipine hydrochloride in anesthetized dogs with acute heart failure. Part 2: Effect on myocardial metabolism.

The effect of nicardipine hydrochloride (NIC, CAS 54527-84-3, Perdipine) on myocardial metabolism was investigated in an experimental model of ischemic acute heart failure (AHF) induced by coronary ligation in anesthetized dogs. The left anterior descending and/or circumflex coronary ligation decreased coronary sinus blood flow (CBF), maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (max. dp/dt), cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV), and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, indicating the development of AHF. In this ischemic AHF model, NIC (3 micrograms/kg/min i.v. infusion for 15 min) increased CBF, CO and SV, and reduced systemic and coronary artery resistances, resulting in the improvement of AHF. During the effective period, NIC decreased myocardial oxygen consumption and the coronary arterio-venous difference of oxygen content, carbon dioxide pressure and pH. At the same time, NIC did not decrease the lactate extraction. These results suggest that NIC improves hemodynamics and the balance of myocardium oxygen supply and demand in dogs with AHF by means of reducing afterload and dilating coronary artery.