Background: Isoflurane protects against reperfusion injury in isolated hearts when given before, during, and initially after hypoxia or ischemia and aids in preconditioning hearts if given before ischemia. The aims of the current study were to determine if isoflurane is cardioprotective during 1-day, severe hypothermic perfusion and if a mechanism of protection is K(ATP) channel activation.
Methods: Guinea pig hearts (n = 60) were isolated, perfused with Kreb's solution initially at 37 degrees C, and assigned to either a nontreated warm, time control group or one of five cold-treated groups: drug-free cold control, 1.3% isoflurane, 1.3% isoflurane plus glibenclamide (4 microM), 2.6% isoflurane, or 2.6% isoflurane plus glibenclamide. Isoflurane and glibenclamide were given 20 min before hypothermia, during low-flow hypothermia (3.8 degrees C) for 22 h, and for 30 min after rewarming to 37 degrees C. Heart rate, left ventricular pressure, %O2 extraction, and coronary flow were measured continuously, and responses to epinephrine, adenosine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and nitroprusside were examined before and after hypothermia.
Results: Each group had similar initial left ventricular pressures, coronary flows, and responses to adenosine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and nitroprusside. Before hypothermia, isoflurane with or without glibenclamide increased coronary flow while decreasing left ventricular pressure and %O2 extraction. After hypothermia, left ventricular pressure and coronary flow were reduced in all cold groups but least reduced in isoflurane-treated groups. During normothermic perfusion after isoflurane and glibenclamide, left ventricular pressure, coronary flow, %O2 extraction, and flow responses to adenosine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and nitroprusside were similarly improved in isoflurane and isoflurane-plus-glibenclamide groups over the cold control group but not to levels observed in the warm-time control group.
Conclusion: Isoflurane, like halothane, given before, during, and initially after hypothermia markedly improved but did not restore cardiac perfusion and function. Protective effects of isoflurane were not concentration dependent and not inhibited by the K(ATP) channel blocker glibenclamide. Volatile anesthetics have novel cardioprotective effects when given during long-term severe hypothermia.