Effect of nitroglycerin on the extent of experimental myocardial necrosis

: Myocardial infarction in rabbits was caused by ligation of the anterior descending artery. Nitroglycerin was injected intravenously (100 micrograms/min) from 120 to 180 minutes after the operation. The experimental group showed a rapid and statistically significant time course of changes on the ECG as compared to controls. Moreover, nitroglycerin gave rise to bradycardia in the experimental animals which was not the case either in the control group or in non-operated rabbits comprising an additional group. The size of the necrotic area measured 7 days after the operation was 41.2% larger than that in the control group.