The present review deals with the side-effects of contrast media (CM) on cardiac function during coronary angiography. A physiological approach is used to redefine existing concepts of CM osmotoxicity and chemotoxicity in terms of osmolal, ionic and molecular effects. The main idea conveyed is that purely ionic effects are of central importance during and immediately following the transit of a brief coronary bolus. Ionic effects result largely from rapid transient washout of normal extracellular ions, but are also influenced by ions present in the CM. In particular, the calcium (Ca) and sodium (Na) ions controlling cardiac function are easily affected. The myocardial Na–Ca exchange, which is mainly a physiological mechanism for cellular Ca efflux during cardiac relaxation, is therefore highlighted in detail.
The importance of avoiding a potential Na–Ca mismatch is shown by examples from basic physiology, cardiac surgery and coronary angiography and by results of experiments with Visipaque. In the isosmolal and isotonic CM Visipaque, which is based on the dimer iodixanol (320 mg I/ml), an available osmolal space is filled with an appropriately balanced supplement consisting of NaCl (19 mM) and CaCl2 (0.3 mM).
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