Ethanol and its principle metabolite acetaldehyde affect inward rectifier potassium current IK1 in rat ventricular myocytes
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| Year of publication | 2013 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Alcohol intoxication may induce arrhythmias, most frequently the atrial fibrillation (AF). Increase of inward rectifier potassium currents including the voltage-gated current IK1 is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of AF. Data describing effects of ethanol and its principle metabolite acetaldehyde on mammalian IK1 are rare and controversial. Hence, we aimed to analyse IK1-changes in the presence of ethanol (0.2 – 200 mM) and acetaldehyde (3 – 300 microM) in enzymatically isolated rat right ventricular myocytes by the whole cell patch clamp technique at room temperature. We conclude that ethanol exerts a dual effect on the cardiac IK1. Inhibition of IK1 in some cells and its stimulation in others might result in the heterogeneity of cardiac repolarization with possible arrhythmogenic consequences. It is unlikely that, in healthy humans, acetaldehyde significantly contributes to the arrhythmogenesis observed after the alcohol consumption. |
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