Na+/H+ exchange inhibition in hypertrophied myocardium subjected to cardioplegic arrest: an effective cardioprotective approach.

Objective: This study was designed to assess whether the protective effects of Na+/H+ exchange (NHE) inhibition, which have been largely demonstrated in normal hearts, are also manifest in a more surgically relevant model of hypertrophied myocardium subjected to cardioplegic arrest.

Methods: Left ventricular hypertrophy was created in 3-week-old rats by coarctation of the ascending thoracic aorta with a hemoclip. Eight weeks later, hearts were excised, isovolumetrically perfused and subjected to 1 h of potassium cardioplegic arrest followed by 2 h of reperfusion.