Study of the Cardioplegic Action of Potassium Ion During Normothermia and Hypothermia

Membrane polarity: A target for myocardial protection and reduced inflammation in adult and pediatric cardiothoracic surgery

“…Early concerns over high potassium concentrations date back to the mid-to-late 1950s after controversy developed over the ''Melrose technique,'' in which there were severe postoperative complications. 1 Since that time, there has been a sporadic search for nondepolarizing alternatives, including acetylcholine, low Na þ , high Mg 2þ , low Ca 2þ , tetrodotoxin, beta-blockers (rapid and slow acting), calcium channel blockers, adenosine and adenosine-enhancing agents, adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel openers, and local anesthetics. 5,6,8,10 Unfortunately, none of the alternatives has reached clinical adoption, and many have surrendered their potential status as a primary arresting agent to become servants to depolarizing potassium as adjuncts.…”

Comparative cardio-inhibitory effects of certain cyclohexanol and cyclohexylamine derivatives

“…After three hours of cardiac arrest produced in this manner, all of the hearts could maintain a normal rhythm after extracorporeal circulation was discontinued. Kaplan and Fisher (1959) In an effort to combine local hypothermia with chemical cardioplegia, Kenyon et al (1959) Biopsies taken from human hearts before, during, and at the end of potassium citrate arrest and arrest produced by cooling coronary blood to about 10°C, were analyzed by Gott et al (1959) for various energy substances. The levels of ATP, phosphocreatine and glycogen fell much more rapidly following potassium citrate arrest, than following selective hypothermic arrest.…”