Pinacidil increases the background potassium current in single ventricular cells

Abstract Pinacidil, a new antihypertensive agent, increased the background (inward rectifier) potassium current and abolished its negative slope, and did not change the time-dependent component of the outward (delayed outward) current in single ventricular cells isolated from the guinea-pig heart. These effects must be responsible for the negative inotropic action of this drug.