Effects of Acute Potassium Chloride Administration on Ventricular Dysrhythmias after Myocardial Infarction in a Rat Model of Ischemia/Reperfusion

Firoozeh Madadi; Marjan Aghajani; Ali Dabbagh; Kamal Fani; Fardin Sehati; Alireza Imani

doi:10.18502/jthc.v17i1.9320

Firoozeh Madadi Anesthesiology Department, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Marjan Aghajani Department of physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ali Dabbagh Anesthesiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Kamal Fani Anesthesiology Department, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fardin Sehati Department of physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Alireza Imani Department of physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jthc.v17i1.9320

Keywords: Potassium chloride; Ischemia; Reperfusion injury; Myocardial reperfusion injury; Arrhythmias, cardiac; Oxidative stress

Abstract

Background: Acute myocardial infarction is an important cause of morbidity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the administration of potassium chloride (KCl) on reperfusion-induced injuries in a rat model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion.

Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats, weighing 200 to 250 g, were randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups: control, K1 (10 µg/kg of KCl), and K2 (20 µg/kg of KCl). Twenty minutes before ischemia, a single dose of 10 and 20 µg/kg of KCl was intraperitoneally administered in the K1 and K2 groups, respectively. The coronary artery was occluded for 30 minutes (ischemia); thereafter, it was opened for 60 minutes (reperfusion) to measure hemodynamic parameters and ventricular arrhythmias. Blood sampling was performed after the reperfusion period to determine the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase, troponin I, creatine kinase (CK)-MB, malondialdehyde, and pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance.

Results: Serological parameters significantly decreased in the potassium groups compared with the control group. In particular, the decline was more pronounced for the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (1180.25±69.48 vs 1556.67±77.02 U/L; P=0.011), troponin I (21.98±0.61 vs 28.76±1.65 ng/mL; P=0.020), and pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (15.51±0.72 vs 20.63±1.42 HK; P=0.041) in the K2 group compared with the K1 group. Moreover, the administration of 20 µg/kg of KCl significantly decreased the incidence of ventricular tachycardias and fibrillations compared with the control group (P=0.002). Additionally, no considerable differences were observed between the control group and the groups with 10 µg/kg and 20 µg/kg of KCl regarding the number of ventricular ectopic beats.

Conclusion: The administration of KCl before ischemia could reduce ventricular arrhythmias and reperfusion-induced injuries by reducing oxidative stress.