Myocardial contractility and ischaemia in the isolated perfused rat heart with propofol and thiopentone

The effects of propofol and thiopentone on myocardial contractility and global ischaemia were evaluated using an isolated non-working perfused rat heart preparation. Contractility was assessed using a tension transducer linked to the cardiac apex, and the contractility was expressed as a ratio of the deflection size before and after infusion of the drug. Ischaemia-induced leakage of myocardial proteins and ions (potassium and magnesium) was assessed by comparing the concentrations in the effluent perfusate immediately before and after 60 min of isothermic ischaemia, in the presence of propofol, thiopentone or plain Krebs’ buffer solution (control). Mean contractility ratios of 1.15 and 1.3 were obtained with control and propofol groups respectively (NS), but were reduced to 0.5 in the thiopentone group (P < 0.001). The magnitude of the postischaemic leakage of proteins and potassium was similar in each group; however, the post-ischaemic leakage of magnesium was greater in the thiopentone group than in the propofol or control groups. These data suggest that, compared with thiopentone, propofol is not a potent negative inotrope, and that it may cause less disturbance of myocardial magnesium homeostasis during myocardial ischaemia.