The authors submit their experience with the use of creatine phosphate in patients operated on account of coronary heart disease. They divided 50 consecutive patients into three groups. Group A--controls, group B--creatine phosphate was added to the filling of the apparatus for extracorporeal circulation and group C--creatine phosphate was added to Bretschneider's cardioplegic solution. During operation and during the early postoperative period the CK and CK MB levels were evaluated as well as levels of free acid radicals, the haemodynamic state of the patients, the incidence of ventricular dysrhythmias, the need of defibrillation, histological and histochemical examinations. The authors found a lower CK and CK MB level, a lower percentage of ventricular dysrhythmias and the same haemodynamic results of the operation in patients with a more markedly impaired systolic function of the left ventricle when creatine phosphate was used. Creatine phosphate did not affect the morphology of the heart muscle nor the level of the assessed myocardial enzymes.

Keywords: Cardioplegic Solutions; Coronary Disease /surgery/; Creatine Kinase /blood/; Extracorporeal Circulation; Female; Free Radicals; Hemodynamics /drug effects/; Humans; Isoenzymes; Male; Middle Aged; Phosphocreatine /administration & dosage/; Postoperative Complications; Prospective Studies