Enhanced ventricular recovery from high dose glucose, insulin and potassium with cardiopulmonary bypass support prior to cardioplegic arrest

The concept that a beneficial preconditioning effect in ventricular recovery exists using high dose glucose (0.5 mg/kg), insulin (0.3 unit/kg), and potassium (0.2 mmol/kg) (GIK) with 20 min of normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass support (CPB) prior to 60 min of cardioplegic arrest (CA) was tested using 32 mongrel dogs divided into four subset test groups. Group 1 was given GIK and 20 min of CPB prior to CA, Group 2 was given GIK systemically over 10 min but no CPB prior to CA, Group 3 underwent 20 min of CPB without GIK and Group 4 was the control group with no GIK and no CPB assist. To focus specifically on in vivo ventricular recovery, dP/dT (mmHg/sec), developed pressure (dP) (mmHg), and segmental shortening (SS) (%) were measured prior to CPB, then 15, 30, 60, and 90 min after weaning from CPB, while left atrial pressure was kept constant