CREATINE-PHOSPHATE AS THE PREFERRED EARLY INDICATOR OF ISCHEMIA IN MUSCULAR TISSUES

Changes in creatine compounds, especially the creatine phosphate to cr eatine ratio (CrP/Cr), are more sensitive indicators than changes in o ther metabolites for early ischemia in the different muscular tissues of heart, small intestine, skeletal muscle, and aorta. Changes in aden ine nucleotide ratios are buffered by CrP reserves and the absolute co ncentration of adenine nucleotides can vary greatly between different muscular tissues. Accumulation of lactate is indicative of ischemia, b ut is not as sensitive as the ratio of CrP/Cr, but may better indicate the duration of ischemia, Glycerol also accumulates in muscular tissu es during prolonged ischemia, so that consideration of both lactate an d glycerol levels together, might confer a better estimate of the dura tion of ischemia of different muscular tissues. (C) 1996 Academic Pres s, Inc.