Cardioplegia

Cardioplegia is the intentional and temporary arrest of cardiac function induced by chemical solutions, primarily used to protect the heart muscle during open-heart surgery by minimizing tissue injury during periods of no blood flow. The technique typically uses cold, potassium-rich solutions (sometimes with other additives like magnesium, lidocaine, or blood) perfused into the coronary circulation, causing electrical and mechanical cardiac arrest. This provides a bloodless and motionless surgical field and reduces metabolic requirements, helping to prevent myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. Cardioplegia is a procedural strategy, not a molecular target or receptor.

Other names

cardioplegic solutioncardioplegic arrestcardiac arrest solution

Induced diastolic arrest via membrane depolarization (usually potassium-rich solution causes cardiac myocyte electrical arrest), hypothermia (to lower metabolic demand), and/or additional pharmacologic protection (e.g., lidocaine, magnesium)