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A positive inotropic effect of adenosine in cardiac preparations of right atria from diseased human hearts

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Abstract

The actions of adenosine in the human atrium are of clinical relevance, for instance, to stop supraventricular arrhythmias. The purpose of the present study was to re-evaluate the inotropic effect of adenosine in the human atrium. We studied the effect of adenosine (cumulatively applied) on force of contraction in isolated electrically driven right atrial preparations from patients with coronary heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery. It has been known for some time that adenosine via A1-adenosine receptors can elicit a negative inotropic effect in human atrial preparations. We report here that in 25% of the patients studied, a positive inotropic effect to adenosine was detectable. The A1-adenosine receptor antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-cyclopentyl-xanthine attenuated this effect. Hence, we conclude that at least in some patients, adenosine can lead to a hitherto overlooked positive inotropic effect.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and by the Wilhelm-Roux-Program of the Medical Faculty of the Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg. The technical assistance of Sonja Reber is greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 4, 06112, Halle, Germany

    Ulrich Gergs & Joachim Neumann

  2. Klinik für Herz- und Thoraxchirugie, Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, 06097, Halle, Germany

    Andreas Simm & Rolf-Edgar Silber

  3. Institut für Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Universitätsklinikum, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Peter Boknik & Wilhelm Schmitz

Authors
  1. Ulrich Gergs
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  2. Peter Boknik
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  3. Wilhelm Schmitz
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  4. Andreas Simm
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  5. Rolf-Edgar Silber
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  6. Joachim Neumann
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Correspondence to Joachim Neumann.

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Gergs, U., Boknik, P., Schmitz, W. et al. A positive inotropic effect of adenosine in cardiac preparations of right atria from diseased human hearts. Naunyn-Schmied Arch Pharmacol 379, 533–540 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-008-0374-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-008-0374-8

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