# Hypernatremic perfusion decreases mechanical and mitochondrial recovery following an ischemic insult

> **NIH NIH F31** · VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV · 2020 · $28,018

## Abstract

Project Summary
Despite over a century of research into sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), survival from such an event remains
abysmally low. Presently, treatment immediately following SCA consists of cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) and intravenous fluid therapy. The proposed research seeks to challenge the paradigm that 0.9%
normal saline (NS) is an ideal IV-fluid post-SCA. Undeterred by the nomenclature “normal saline,” neither the
sodium concentration ([Na+]; 155mM) nor the chloride concentration (155mM) in NS falls within the normal
physiological range for humans (Na+=135-147mM; Cl-=98-106mM). Previous research investigating the effects
of manipulating extracellular sodium concentrations have demonstrated that increased sodium leads to
impaired mechanical and metabolic function in heart. These studies however, were conducted in isolated cells
with sodium concentrations far beyond clinical relevance. I will use an isolated, whole heart model to study the
effect of hypernatremic perfusion (155mM Na+) on cardiac mechanical and metabolic function. To assess
mechanical and metabolic function, I am going to use cardiac optical mapping, a technique in which
fluorescent probes are loaded into the intact whole-heart and then imaged with high spatio-temporal resolution
using a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) camera system, and transmission electron
microscopy. The proposed study aims to lay the foundation for creating novel IV-fluids optimized to improve
overall cardiac function and survival following cardiac arrest.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9922669
- **Project number:** 5F31HL147438-02
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** David Ryan King
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $28,018
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-10 → 2020-12-09

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9922669

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9922669, Hypernatremic perfusion decreases mechanical and mitochondrial recovery following an ischemic insult (5F31HL147438-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9922669. Licensed CC0.

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