[Protection against myocardial ischemia by nisoldipine--an experimental study with valinomycin K-sensitive...

It has been shown that dihydropyridines exert a cardioprotective effect during experimental ischemia. This effect is reflected in a reduced K-efflux from the ischemic tissue. Recently we have shown that ischemic K-efflux is largely mediated by ATP-dependent K-channels. Using K-selective microelectrodes we studied the effect of nisoldipine on K-efflux during simulated ischemia (guinea pig papillary muscle immersed in paraffin oil; normal Tyrode solution, HEPES buffered, 100% O2-equilibrated, 37 degrees C). While ischemic K-efflux was Ca-dependent in stimulated preparations, it was independent of extracellular Ca in resting preparations. Our results show that nisoldipine leads to an inhibition of ischemic K-efflux during simulated ischemia. In resting preparations this inhibition is not a direct Ca-antagonistic effect, since withdrawal of extracellular Ca does not inhibit ischemic K-efflux but nisoldipine does. We suggest a direct effect of nisoldipine on the KATP channel which is mainly responsible for ischemic K-loss.