Nicardipine in models of myocardial infarction.

In a dog model of partial myocardial ischaemia, superimposed ST segment elevations in epicardial ECGs were inhibited by nicardipine over a cumulative i.v. dose range of 1-20 micrograms kg-1. Over the cumulative i.v. dose range of 0.5-166.5 micrograms kg-1, nicardipine had little overall effect on gross cardiac conduction, at spontaneous heart rate. Dogs that received oral 1-2 mg kg-1 nicardipine daily for 16 weeks and then survived 1 week occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) developed a superior coronary collateral circulation compared with untreated animals. Nicardipine given by three different dosing schedules to baboons markedly limited myocardial infarction over a 6 h period of LAD occlusion. Compared with a group of completely untreated dogs, there was protection of the myocardium in the animals given nicardipine that survived 3 months occlusion of the LAD.