Optical mapping of electrical heterogeneities in the heart during global ischemia (original) (raw)

Real-time optical registration of electrical activity in the heart allows the study of arrhythmogenic mechanisms, in particular due to global ischemia. It is known that global ischemia increases electrical heterogeneity in the heart. However, inter-ventricular differences between the right (RV) and left ventricle (LV) during ischemia and their relationship to arrhythmogenesis remains poorly understood. We used high resolution optical mapping (di-4-ANEPPS, excitation at 532 nm, emission at 640+/-50 nm) of Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts to quantify inter-ventricular heterogeneity in the heart during periodic pacing and ventricular fibrillation. Two fast CCD cameras were used to record electrical activity from the RV and LV during control, global ischemia (20 min), and reperfusion. Hearts were paced at progressively reduced (from 300 ms to 100 ms) basic cycle lengths and ventricular fibrillation was induced by burst pacing and recorded before the global ischemia, and after the repe...