Myocardial ischemia and cell acidosis: Modification by alkali and the effects on ventricular function and cation composition.

Myocardial cell pH was measured with 5, 5 dimethyl-2, 4-oxazolidinedione (DMO) in intact anesthetized dogs by a transient indicator dilution technique. Bolus injections of labeled DMO, vascular, extracellular and water indicators were made into the left anterior descending coronary artery, and blood samples were collected from the great cardiac vein. The steady state distribution of DMO between cells and plasma was calculated from the mean transit times of the indicator. Normal myocardial cell pH averaged 6.94 and changed by 58% of the concomitant alterations in plasma pH after infusions of acid or alkali. Myocardial ischemia induced by inflation of a balloon tip catheter in the left anterior descending coronary artery resulted in progressive decreases in cell pH to 6.59 by 1 hour. Infusions of sodium carbonate diminished intracellular acidosis. Hemodynamic studies during 4 hours of ischemia with blood pH at 7.55 to 7.60 indicated a significantly reduced left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and increased stroke volume by comparison with findings in animals given infusions of saline solution. Ventriculograms revealed improved wall motion in the ischemic segment after infusion of alkali. Precordial mapping showed a significant reduction in the number of leads with S-T segment elevation as well as in the sum of S-T segment elevations, but R wave amplitudes did not differ from those in control studies. Calculations of extracellular space, tissue water and cation content revealed a reduced gain of cell sodium ion and loss of cell potassium ion during ischemia after alkali treatment. The latter may account for the S-T segment responses, whereas enhanced ventricular performance may be related to reduced competition of hydrogen ion with calcium ion for binding sites on contractile protein.