Some metabolic approaches to improving myocardial performance during cardiac hypoxia

Four possible metabolic approaches to improving cardiac function in the presence of myocardial hypoxia have been considered. 1. It appears that there is increasing evidence which suggests that free fatty acids are harmful to the ischemic heart. 2. Although it has been demonstrated that Krebs cycle intermediates can result in anaerobic energy formation by the mitochondria, and under certain extreme conditions can lead to improved performance of the heart, the potential for a physiologically important effect of this approach is probably limited. 3. The protection of the ischemic or hypoxic heart by alkalosis may be a feasible approach. The major beneficial effect appears to be exerted through more efficient conversion of energy that is already available to contractile performance rather than by increasing energy supply. 4. There appears to be some real potential for improving cardiac energy delivery via the glycolytic pathway. Calculations based on isolated rat heart studies indicate that, at 50% oxygenation, glycolytic ATP generation could totally correct for the deficit in mitochondrial ATP formation. Therefore, it is in the area of overcoming the inhibition of glycolytic ATP formation and tapping this potential metabolic pathway that energy delivery may be restored toward normal in the hypoxic and perhaps the borderline zone of underperfusion in the ischemic heart. The problem of the ischemic inhibition of glycolysis may partially be overcome by creating extracellular alkalosis, but this presumption will have to be tested.