Effect of metalloproteinase inhibitor on early postinfarction remodeling in the most acute phase of myocardial infarction.

Echocardiography in control narcotized rats (n=12) revealed that acute single-stage ligation of coronary artery induced a rapid and significant decrease in systolic function of the heart, which attained minimum to postischemic minutes 10-20 and then gradually restored during 60 min after coronary occlusion. Matrix proteinase inhibitor doxycycline (40 mg/kg/day intragastrically for 3 days prior to the experiment) prevented dramatic impairment of systolic function in the left ventricle during first 20 min of ischemia and then all the indices characterizing the state of pumping function of the left ventricle in the experimental (doxycycline) group (n=9) surpassed the control. Thus, matrix proteinase inhibitor doxycycline prevented early postischemic remodeling of the heart during the most acute phase of experimental myocardial infarction.