Evidence for increased lipid peroxidation in the non-ischaemic portion of the heart with coronary occlusion

Lipid peroxidation products, malondialdehyde (MDA), conjugated double bonds (CDB), and fluorescent end products (RF), were measured in porcine left ventricular myocardium. Myocardial samples were taken 15–20 min after left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation from ischaemic and non-ischaemic regions. Products of lipid peroxidation were also measured in the left ventricular myocardium of sham operated pigs. Non-ischaemic regions of the hearts with LAD occlusion showed a significantly higher content of lipid peroxidation products than intact hearts of sham operated pigs. The results suggest that enhancement of lipid peroxidation reflecting increased free radical generation may contribute to myocardial damage in the non-ischaemic, apparently “healthy” portion of the heart with acute coronary occlusion.