Assessment with potential mapping of the cardiac protective effect of a drug. Example of trimetazidine

SATAPEC is a computerized system built in the Laboratory for recording over 256 multiplexed channels and for automatic processing of cardiac electrical potentials. The results are printed out in the form of maps (either in black and white or in color) showing potential distributions, depolarization, repolarization, duration of activation, or various other analog-digital data. The cardioprotective ability of a drug may be assessed with SATAPEC. As an example, the effect of trimetazidine (TMZ) is examined using 2 groups of 12 rabbits (one group serving as a control and the second group pretreated with TMZ). An elastomer mesh with 240 regularly spaced chlorided silver wire electrode is placed around the ventricles following thoracotomy. A ligature is made starting from the anterior interventricular artery (AIV). Recordings are taken from the 240 unipolar epicardial electrograms (reference potential taken at Wilson terminal) 1 min before ligation and then every min for 8 min following ligation. Once the electrograms are plotted and any aberrant tracings eliminated, ST variation is calculated automatically. Files containing ST variations at different instants are stored in the computer memory and the mean sigma ST/240 curves of the two groups of rabbits are plotted versus time. Mean electric potential maps, obtained by aligning all of the individual maps, are then printed. With these maps the location and extent of the epicardial injured area can be visualized. Pretreatment with TMZ (2.5 mg/kg) has shown a beneficial effect on ischemia injury.