Abstract

The effect of nicotinic acid on regional myocardial blood flow, percentage of segment shortening and myocardial uptake of free-fatty acids during a 15-min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery and 3-hr reperfusion period was compared to a saline-treated control group. Nicotinic acid (2.4 mumol/kg/min i.v.) was infused 30 min before and throughout the occlusion period. Heart rate, arterial blood pressure and left ventricular systolic and end diastolic pressures were not different during occlusion and reperfusion in the nicotinic acid or saline-treated groups. However, left ventricular dP/dt, an index of global myocardial function and percentage of segment shortening in the ischemic region were greater during occlusion and reperfusion after nicotinic acid. Even though myocardial blood flow was unaltered in the normal or ischemic region during nicotinic acid infusion, subendocardial blood flow during reperfusion was enhanced significantly when compared to the control group. Nicotinic acid also decreased free-fatty acid uptake by the heart during occlusion which returned gradually to the pretreatment control during 3 hr of reperfusion. Thus, the improvement in percentage of segment shortening, dP/dt and subendocardial blood flow during reperfusion may be related to the ability of nicotinic acid to reduce free-fatty acid uptake by the heart during coronary occlusion.