{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,3]],"date-time":"2026-10-03T18:26:51Z","timestamp":1791052011379,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2004,5,4]],"date-time":"2004-05-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1083628800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":795,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Experimental Physiology"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2002,3]]},"abstract":"The aim of this study was to characterise the arrhythmogenic mechanisms involved in hypokalaemia\u2010induced sustained ventricular fibrillation (SVF), in hypertensive rats. The hearts from rats with hypertension induced by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L\u2010NAME, and age\u2010matched normotensive controls, were perfused in Langendorff mode with oxygenated Krebs\u2010Henseleit solution followed by a K+<\/jats:sup>\u2010deficient solution. In additional experiments, free intracellular Ca2+<\/jats:sup> concentration ([Ca2+<\/jats:sup>]i<\/jats:sub>) was measured using fura\u20102 in conjunction with an epicardial optical probe. The epicardial electrocardiogram was continuously monitored during all experiments. The gap junction protein connexin\u201043 and the ultrastructure of the cardiomyocytes were examined, and selected enzyme activities were measured in situ. There was a higher incidence of low\u2010K+<\/jats:sup>\u2010induced SVF in the hearts of hypertensive compared to normotensive rats (83% vs. 33%, P < 0.05). Perfusion with a low\u2010K+<\/jats:sup>\u2010containing solution lead to elevation of diastolic [Ca2+<\/jats:sup>]i<\/jats:sub> that was accompanied by premature beats, bigeminy, ventricular tachycardia and transient ventricular fibrillation. These events occurred earlier with increased incidence and duration in the hearts of hypertensive rats (arrhythmia scores: hypertensive, 4.9 \u00b1 0.7; normotensive, 3.1 \u00b1 0.1; P < 0.05), which exhibited apparent remodelling accompanied by a significant decrease in the density of connexin\u201043\u2010positive gap junctions. Moreover, low\u2010K+<\/jats:sup>\u2010related myocardial changes, including local impairment of intermyocyte junctions, ultrastructural alterations due to Ca2+<\/jats:sup> overload and intercellular uncoupling, and decreased enzyme activities were more pronounced and more dispersed in hypertensive than normotensive rats. In conclusion, nitric oxide\u2010deficient hypertension is associated with decreased myocardial coupling at gap junctions. The further localised deterioration of junctional coupling, due to low\u2010K+<\/jats:sup>\u2010induced Ca2+<\/jats:sup> disturbances, as well as spatial heterogeneity of myocardial alterations including interstitial fibrosis, probably provide the mechanisms for re\u2010entry and sustaining ventricular fibrillation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1113\/eph8702336","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2003,2,11]],"date-time":"2003-02-11T16:35:33Z","timestamp":1044981333000},"page":"195-205","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":26,"title":["Hypertension\u2010Related Intermyocyte Junction Remodelling is Associated with a Higher Incidence of Low\u2010K+<\/sup>\u2010Induced Lethal Arrhythmias in Isolated Rat Heart"],"prefix":"10.1113","volume":"87","author":[{"given":"N.","family":"Tribulova","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"L.","family":"Okruhlicova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S.","family":"Novakova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"D.","family":"Pancza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"I.","family":"Bernatova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"O.","family":"Pechanova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"P.","family":"Weismann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"M.","family":"Manoach","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S.","family":"Seki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"S.","family":"Mochizuki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2004,5,4]]},"container-title":["Experimental Physiology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/api.wiley.com\/onlinelibrary\/tdm\/v1\/articles\/10.1113%2Feph8702336","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/api.wiley.com\/onlinelibrary\/tdm\/v1\/articles\/10.1113%2Feph8702336","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1113\/eph8702336","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,25]],"date-time":"2023-09-25T09:28:47Z","timestamp":1695634127000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1113\/eph8702336"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2002,3]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2002,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1113\/eph8702336"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1113\/eph8702336","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0958-0670","1469-445X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0958-0670","type":"print"},{"value":"1469-445X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2002,3]]}}}