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Abstract
In the regionally ischaemic heart lipid droplet accumulation is found in the ischaemic area and is most pronounced in the periphery. The purpose of the present study is to explore the potential effects of the calcium-channel-blocker verapamil on this accumulation. The drug is known to reduce the intensity of myocardial ischaemic injury. The myocardial ultrastructure was studied in anaesthetized open chest cats with 3 h of coronary artery occlusion. Biopsies were taken from the ischaemic, border and normally perfused myocardium defined by in vivo injections of fluorescein and verified by blood flow measurements using radiolabeled microspheres. Arterial concentration of non esterified fatty acids (NEFA) was measured during the ischaemic period. A higher accumulation of lipid droplets was found in the central ischaemic myocardium of verapamil-treated cats than in control animals (p<0.05). The normally perfused and borderline areas were unaffected by verapamil as far as lipid accumulation was concerned and showed the same pattern as in the untreated group. The increased accumulation of lipid droplets in the ischaemic myocardium, after treatment with verapamil, may reflect a preserved metabolic activity in the ischaemic tissue or result from a higher supply of fatty acids due to increased perfusion of the central ischaemic tissue.