Cardiac metabolism and clinical effects of glutamate in controls and patients with coronary artery disease

Myocardial uptake of glutamate was greater in patients with coronary artery disease than in controls. Treatment with nitroglycerin, calcium antagonists or bypass surgery induced a decrease in glutamate utilization. During the early phase of acute myocardial infarction circulating levels of glutamate were low, whereas arterial levels and cardiac uptakes of glutamate rose after propranolol administration. Acute pretreatment with monosodium glutamate increased ischemic threshold during exercise and rapid atrial pacing in patients with angina pectoris. Glutamate had no haemodynamic effects.