Cardiac surgery and some noncardiac procedures are associated with a significant risk of perioperative cardiac morbid events. Experimental data indicate that clinical concentrations of volatile general anesthetics protect the myocardium from ischemia and reperfusion injury, as shown by decreased infarct size and a more rapid recovery of contractile function on reperfusion. These anesthetics may also mediate protective effects in other organs, such as the brain and kidney. Recently, a number of reports have indicated that these experimentally observed protective effects may also have clinical implications in cardiac surgery. However, the impact of the use of volatile anesthetics on outcome measures, such as postoperative mortality and recovery in cardiac and noncardiac surgery, is yet to be determined.

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HOE 642, propofol, and sevoflurane provide cardioprotection via different mechanisms. These distinct mechanisms may allow for the additive and superior protection observed with the combination of these anesthetics and HOE 642.

Isoflurane, sevoflurane, and HOE 642 enhance ventricular recovery, but the effect of HOE 642 is also associated with reduced contracture and adenosine triphosphate preservation. A combination of the NHE inhibitor and either volatile agent confers additive and superior protection, which could be relevant for the establishment of ideal cardioprotective strategies during surgery.

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