AJP - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Vol 250, Issue 1 22-H28, Copyright © 1986 by American Physiological Society
Verapamil preserves adenine nucleotide pool in cardiomyopathic Syrian hamster
J. Wikman-Coffelt, R. Sievers, W. W. Parmley and G. Jasmin
There is a decrease in total adenine nucleotides, cyclic AMP (cAMP),
ATP/total ADP, and phosphocreatine (PCr)/creatine (Cr) both in situ and in
the perfused heart in the heart failure stage of the cardiomyopathic Syrian
hamster. There were decreases in developed pressure, dP/dt, and O2
consumption associated with the decrease in total adenine nucleotides and
cAMP. Cardiomyopathic Syrian hamsters (180-240 days old) with congestive
heart failure were given water with the calcium entry blocker, verapamil,
as an additive 2 mo before death. In the cardiomyopathic group given
verapamil the adenine nucleotides, cAMP, and high-energy phosphates were
preserved and cardiac performance was not significantly different from that
of the verapamil-treated healthy hamsters at the time of death.
Pretreatment of cardiomyopathic animals with verapamil (6.6 mg verapamil/ml
water consumed by drinking) resulted in significantly higher ATP/total ADP
and PCr/Cr compared with nontreated cardiomyopathic hamsters. This is the
first report demonstrating that a calcium entry blocker may improve cardiac
performance and preserve total adenine nucleotides during the heart failure
stage of the cardiomyopathic hamster.
