Effects of glucose–insulin–potassium on baroreflex sensitivity, left ventricular function and ventricular arrhythmia in the subacute phase of myocardial infarction in rats.

Abstract Glucose–insulin–potassium (GIK) is clinically used for reducing mortality in acute myocardial infarction (MI). It is known that ventricular arrhythmia, left ventricular dysfunction and impaired baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) are the three major determinants for predicting the mortality after acute MI. The present work was designed to study the effects of GIK on BRS, ventricular arrhythmia, and left ventricular function in rats with coronary artery ligature. Sprague–Dawley rats were used and the myocardial infarction was produced by ligature of the left anterior descending artery. Five weeks after coronary artery ligation, BRS was measured in conscious state with a computerized blood pressure monitoring system and left ventricular function and electrocardiogram were determined in the anaesthetized state in the subacute phase of myocardial infarction. It was found that GIK did not affect the blood pressure and heart period in both conscious and anaesthetized rats. GIK did not enhance BRS, but reduced ventricular arrhythmia and improved left ventricular function by reducing left ventricular end diastolic pressure in anaesthetized rats with MI. It is proposed that reducing ventricular arrhythmia and improving left ventricular function contribute to the effect of GIK on reducing the mortality after MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]