Objective: To investigate whether adenosine in association with blood cardioplegia results in more rapid cardiac arrest or improved myocardial protection.
Design: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind clinical study.
Setting: Operative and intensive care units in a university hospital, Finland.
Participants: Forty patients undergoing primary, elective coronary revascularization.
Intervention: Adenosine as a bolus dose, 12 mg intravenously, was given immediately before the induction of blood cardioplegia.
Measurements and main results: There were nonsignificantly higher serial serum values of CK (MB) (p = 0.33), troponin-T (p = 0.23), and troponin-I (p = 0.10) in the adenosine group. There were no differences between the groups in arrest time, blood pressure decrease, or lactate extraction.
Conclusions: The adenosine regimen used in this study did not cause more rapid arrest with blood cardioplegia. The effect on cardioprotection was insignificant.