Different effects of cardioplegic solution HTK during single or intermittent administration

Since intermittent cardioplegic reperfusion during an ischemic period may reduce the ischemic stress of the heart at least by lowering myocardial temperature, we compared the post-ischemic recovery of the dog heart following cardioplegia and subsequent continuous ischemia of 1 X 300 minutes at 22 +/- 1 degree C (model 1) and following cardioplegia and subsequent 3 X 100 minutes of ischemia at 17 +/- 1 degree C with intermittent 4-minute cardioplegic reperfusion every 100 minutes (model 2). The parameters of post-ischemic recovery were the cardiac O2 consumption per beat at work (MVO2-E0): HR), the stability of cardiac rhythm, the left ventricular content of high-energy phosphates, and ultrastructure. Solution HTK with a magnesium concentration of 9 mM/L, in clinical use up to the beginning of 1984, resulted in a significantly better post-ischemic recovery in model 1, despite about 40% lesser ischemic stress in model 2. A reduction of Mg concentration from 9 to 4 mM/l, as in the HTK solution clinically tested since February 1984, did facilitate the post-ischemic recovery in model 1 as indicated by the stability of cardiac rhythm but led to a significant improvement of all parameters of recovery in model 2. Moreover, recovery in model 2 after reduced Mg was also clearly better than in model 1 corresponding to the lesser ischemic stress. The parameters myocardial O2 consumption (MVO2) and potassium loss during HTK perfusion containing 9 and 4 mM/l, respectively, gave indications of specific membrane labilizing effects of Mg in the cardioplegic solution HTK.