The role of ischemia and reperfusion in stretch-induced arrhythmias

Mechanical stretch has been demonstrated to have electrophysiological effects on cardiac muscle, including alteration of the probability of excitation and the shape of the action potential waveform. The authors studied electrophysiological effects of mechanical stretch in ischemic rabbit hearts. It was observed in studies comparing global versus regional ischemia that the probability of eliciting a stretch-induced arrhythmia (PSIA) is greater during regional ischemia even when contractility between the two groups is comparable. Increases in PSLA of regionally ischemic hearts during reperfusion were observed, indicating that myocardial stretch may facilitate reperfusion-induced arrhythmias