Cardioprotective Actions of a Glucagon‐like Peptide‐1 Receptor Agonist on Hearts Donated After Circulatory Death

Background Heart transplantation with a donation after circulatory death (DCD) heart is complicated by substantial organ ischemia and ischemia–reperfusion injury. Exenatide, a glucagon‐like peptide−1 receptor agonist, manifests protection against cardiac ischemia–reperfusion injury in other settings. Here we evaluate the effects of exenatide on DCD hearts in juvenile pigs. Methods and Results DCD hearts with 15‐minutes of global warm ischemia after circulatory arrest were reperfused ex vivo and switched to working mode. Treatment with concentration 5‐nmol exenatide was given during reperfusion. DCD hearts treated with exenatide showed higher myocardial oxygen consumption (exenatide [n=7] versus controls [n=7], over 60–120 minutes of reperfusion, P