Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2026

Contractions of Human-iPSC-derived Cardiomyocyte Syncytia Measured with a Ca-sensitive Fluorescent Dye in Temperature-controlled 384-well Plates
Published on: October 18, 2018
Cardiac cellular actions of hydrochlorothiazide.
1Laboratorio de Electrofisiología, Instituto de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular, La Habana, Cuba Laboratorio de Fisiología Cardiovascular, Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico.
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) depresses heart muscle contraction by blocking key sodium and calcium channels. This negative inotropic action, observed at high concentrations, may explain its limited impact on cardiac action potential duration.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Thiazide diuretics like hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) lower blood pressure by reducing peripheral resistance.
- Their cardiac cellular actions remain largely uncharacterized.
- Previous research suggested HCTZ opens Ca2+-activated K+ channels in vascular smooth muscle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of HCTZ on rat ventricular muscle contraction and action potentials.
- To examine the impact of HCTZ on ionic currents in isolated rat ventricular cardiomyocytes.
Main Methods:
- Studied rat ventricular muscle strips and isolated rat ventricular cardiomyocytes.
- Measured contraction, action potential duration, and maximal rate of depolarization.
- Assessed effects on fast Na+ current (INa), L-type Ca2+ current (ICaL), and various potassium currents (Ito, delayed rectifier, inward rectifier).
Main Results:
- HCTZ significantly depressed ventricular contraction (IC30 = 1.85 microM).
- Action potential duration and maximal rate of depolarization showed only minor decreases.
- HCTZ blocked INa (30%) and ICaL (20%), with reduced ICaL also observed with cyclic adenosine monophosphate.
- Multiple potassium currents were also decreased by HCTZ.
Conclusions:
- High concentrations of HCTZ exert a negative inotropic effect on cardiac muscle.
- This effect is partly due to blockade of INa and ICaL.
- HCTZ's actions on various ionic currents may explain its minimal effect on action potential duration.
More Related Videos
08:39Single-Cell Optical Action Potential Measurement in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
Published on: December 22, 2020
10:41Laser-Induced Action Potential-Like Measurements of Cardiomyocytes on Microelectrode Arrays for Increased Predictivity of Safety Pharmacology
Published on: September 13, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of Diuretics
Antihypertensive Drugs: Thiazide-Class Diuretics
Antihypertensive Drugs: Potassium-Sparing Diuretics
Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of β1 Blockers
Heart Failure Drugs: Diuretics
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System