Abstract
Summary
1. X-irradiation caused a release of potassium from the isolated rabbit heart, the rate of release reaching a peak after a dose of about 2,500 r delivered at 500 r/minute. The greatest average increase of potassium in the perfusate was 12% over the control level. 2. Potassium is liberated from the isolated rabbit heart in small amounts following exposure to as little as 500 r of X-ray. 3. Isolated rabbit hearts exposed to 1000 r released into their perfusate more than 4 times as much potassium in 1 hr as did non-irradiated hearts. 4. The X-irradiated in situ dog heart also released potassium into the coronary circulation. The magnitude of the effect and the radiation dose producing it were approximately the same as in the isolated rabbit heart.
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