scholarly journals Why is the subendocardium more vulnerable to ischemia? A new paradigm

2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (3) ◽  
pp. H1090-H1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dotan Algranati ◽  
Ghassan S. Kassab ◽  
Yoram Lanir

Myocardial ischemia is transmurally heterogeneous where the subendocardium is at higher risk. Stenosis induces reduced perfusion pressure, blood flow redistribution away from the subendocardium, and consequent subendocardial vulnerability. We propose that the flow redistribution stems from the higher compliance of the subendocardial vasculature. This new paradigm was tested using network flow simulation based on measured coronary anatomy, vessel flow and mechanics, and myocardium-vessel interactions. Flow redistribution was quantified by the relative change in the subendocardial-to-subepicardial perfusion ratio under a 60-mmHg perfusion pressure reduction. Myocardial contraction was found to induce the following: 1) more compressive loading and subsequent lower transvascular pressure in deeper vessels, 2) consequent higher compliance of the subendocardial vasculature, and 3) substantial flow redistribution, i.e., a 20% drop in the subendocardial-to-subepicardial flow ratio under the prescribed reduction in perfusion pressure. This flow redistribution was found to occur primarily because the vessel compliance is nonlinear (pressure dependent). The observed thinner subendocardial vessel walls were predicted to induce a higher compliance of the subendocardial vasculature and greater flow redistribution. Subendocardial perfusion was predicted to improve with a reduction of either heart rate or left ventricular pressure under low perfusion pressure. In conclusion, subendocardial vulnerability to a acute reduction in perfusion pressure stems primarily from differences in vascular compliance induced by transmural differences in both extravascular loading and vessel wall thickness. Subendocardial ischemia can be improved by a reduction of heart rate and left ventricular pressure.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hedvig Takács

In this work, we used the isolated, Langendorff perfused heart model for arrhythmia investigations, and the data of the arrhythmia analysis served for clarifying and characterising the physiology of the model and also, to validate arrhythmia definitions. In our first investigation we examined the relationship between ventricular rhythm and coronary flow autoregulation in Langendorff perfused guinea pig hearts. It is a well-known fact, that heart rate affects coronary flow, but the mechanism is complex, especially in experimental settings. We examined whether ventricular irregularity influences coronary flow independently of heart rate. According to our results, during regular rhythm, left ventricular pressure exceeded perfusion pressure and prevented coronary perfusion at peak systole. However, ventricular irregularity significantly increased the number of beats in which left ventricular pressure remained below perfusion pressure, facilitating coronary perfusion. We found that in isolated hearts, cycle length irregularity increases the slope of the positive linear correlation between mean ventricular rate and coronary flow via producing beats in which left ventricular pressure remains below perfusion pressure. This means that changes in rhythm have the capacity to influence coronary flow independently of heart rate in isolated hearts perfused at constant pressure. In our second investigation we examined whether the arrhythmia definitions of Lambeth Conventions I (LC I) and Lambeth Conventions II (LC II) yield the same qualitative results and whether LC II improves inter-observer agreement. Data obtained with arrhythmia definitions of LC I and LC II were compared within and between two independent observers. Applying ventricular fibrillation (VF) definition of LC II significantly increased VF incidence and reduced VF onset time irrespective of treatment by detecting ‘de novo’ VF episodes. Using LC II reduced the number of ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes and simultaneously increased the number of VF episodes, and thus, LC II masked the significant antifibrillatory effects of flecainide and the high K+ concentration. When VF incidence was tested, a very strong interobserver agreement was found according to LC I, whereas using VF definition of LC II reduced inter-observer agreement. It is concluded that LC II shifts some tachyarrhythmias from VT to VF class. VF definition of LC II may change the conclusion of pharmacological, physiological and pathophysiological arrhythmia investigations and may reduce inter-observer agreement.


1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (1) ◽  
pp. H68-H77
Author(s):  
F. L. Abel ◽  
R. R. Zhao ◽  
R. F. Bond

Effects of ventricular compression on maximally dilated left circumflex coronary blood flow were investigated in seven mongrel dogs under pentobarbital anesthesia. The left circumflex artery was perfused with the animals' own blood at a constant pressure (63 mmHg) while left ventricular pressure was experimentally altered. Adenosine was infused to produce maximal vasodilation, verified by the hyperemic response to coronary occlusion. Alterations of peak left ventricular pressure from 50 to 250 mmHg resulted in a linear decrease in total circumflex flow of 1.10 ml.min-1 x 100 g heart wt-1 for each 10 mmHg of peak ventricular to coronary perfusion pressure gradient; a 2.6% decrease from control levels. Similar slopes were obtained for systolic and diastolic flows as for total mean flow, implying equal compressive forces in systole as in diastole. Increases in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure accounted for 29% of the flow changes associated with an increase in peak ventricular pressure. Doubling circumferential wall tension had a minimal effect on total circumflex flow. When the slopes were extrapolated to zero, assuming linearity, a peak left ventricular pressure of 385 mmHg greater than coronary perfusion pressure would be required to reduce coronary flow to zero. The experiments were repeated in five additional animals but at different perfusion pressures from 40 to 160 mmHg. Higher perfusion pressures gave similar results but with even less effect of ventricular pressure on coronary flow or coronary conductance. These results argue for an active storage site for systolic arterial flow in the dilated coronary system.


2014 ◽  
Vol 307 (5) ◽  
pp. H722-H731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kentaro Yamakawa ◽  
Eileen L. So ◽  
Pradeep S. Rajendran ◽  
Jonathan D. Hoang ◽  
Nupur Makkar ◽  
...  

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has been proposed as a cardioprotective intervention. However, regional ventricular electrophysiological effects of VNS are not well characterized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of right and left VNS on electrophysiological properties of the ventricles and hemodynamic parameters. In Yorkshire pigs, a 56-electrode sock was used for epicardial ( n = 12) activation recovery interval (ARI) recordings and a 64-electrode catheter for endocardial ( n = 9) ARI recordings at baseline and during VNS. Hemodynamic recordings were obtained using a conductance catheter. Right and left VNS decreased heart rate (84 ± 5 to 71 ± 5 beats/min and 84 ± 4 to 73 ± 5 beats/min), left ventricular pressure (89 ± 9 to 77 ± 9 mmHg and 91 ± 9 to 83 ± 9 mmHg), and dP/d tmax (1,660 ± 154 to 1,490 ± 160 mmHg/s and 1,595 ± 155 to 1,416 ± 134 mmHg/s) and prolonged ARI (327 ± 18 to 350 ± 23 ms and 327 ± 16 to 347 ± 21 ms, P < 0.05 vs. baseline for all parameters and P = not significant for right VNS vs. left VNS). No anterior-posterior-lateral regional differences in the prolongation of ARI during right or left VNS were found. However, endocardial ARI prolonged more than epicardial ARI, and apical ARI prolonged more than basal ARI during both right and left VNS. Changes in dP/d tmax showed the strongest correlation with ventricular ARI effects ( R2 = 0.81, P < 0.0001) than either heart rate ( R2 = 0.58, P < 0.01) or left ventricular pressure ( R2 = 0.52, P < 0.05). Therefore, right and left VNS have similar effects on ventricular ARI, in contrast to sympathetic stimulation, which shows regional differences. The decrease in inotropy correlates best with ventricular electrophysiological effects.


1990 ◽  
Vol 258 (6) ◽  
pp. H1889-H1898 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Krams ◽  
P. Sipkema ◽  
N. Westerhof

In this study on the isolated, maximally vasodilated, blood-perfused cat heart we investigated the relation between left ventricular developed pressure (delta Piv) and coronary oscillatory flow amplitude (diastolic minus systolic flow, delta F) at different levels of constant perfusion pressure (Pp). We hypothesized that the effect of cardiac contraction on the phasic flow results from the changing elastic properties of cardiac muscle. The coronary vessel compartment can, as can the left ventricular lumen compartment, be described by a time-varying elastance. This concept predicts that the effect of left ventricular pressure on delta F is small, whereas the effect of Pp is considerable. Both the waterfall model and the intramyocardial pump model predict the inverse. The relation between delta Piv and delta F at a Pp of 10 kPa is delta F = (4.71 +/- 3.08).delta Piv + 337 +/- 75 (slope in ml.min-1.100 g-1.kPa-1 and intercept in ml.min-1.100 g-1; n = 7); the relation between (constant levels of) Pp and delta F at a constant delta Piv of 10 kPa is delta F = 51.Pp + 211 (slope in ml.min-1.100 g-1.kPa-1 and intercept in ml.min-1.100 g-1; n = 6). The differences in slope are best predicted by the time-varying elastance concept.


1984 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 1312-1321 ◽  
Author(s):  
MASUAKI FUJIYAMA ◽  
YOH-ICHIRO FURUTA ◽  
JUN MATSUMURA ◽  
AKIHIRO TANABE ◽  
JUN OHBAYASHI ◽  
...  

1963 ◽  
Vol 205 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew G. Wallace ◽  
N. Sheldon Skinner ◽  
Jere H. Mitchell

The maximal rate of left ventricular pressure development (max. dp/dt) was measured in an areflexic preparation which permitted independent control of stroke volume, heart rate, and aortic pressure. Max. dp/dt increased as a result of elevating ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Elevating mean aortic pressure and increasing heart rate each resulted in a higher max. dp/dt without a change in ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Aortic diastolic pressure was shown to influence max. dp/dt in the absence of changes in ventricular end-diastolic pressure or contractility. Increasing contractility increased max. dp/dt while changing the manner of ventricular activation decreased max. dp/dt. These findings demonstrate that changes in max. dp/dt can and frequently do reflect changes in myocardial contractility. These data also indicate that max. dp/dt is a complex function, subject not only to extrinsically induced changes in contractility, but also to ventricular end-diastolic pressure, aortic diastolic pressure, the manner of ventricular activation, and intrinsic adjustments of contractility.


1960 ◽  
Vol 198 (6) ◽  
pp. 1139-1142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orville A. Smith ◽  
Robert F. Rushmer ◽  
Earl P. Lasher

Devices to measure left ventricular pressure, diameter and heart rate in animals with closed chests were placed on the hearts of dogs. After recovery from this operation the dogs were trained to exercise on a treadmill and the cardiovascular responses to this exercise were recorded. Stimulating electrodes were then stereotaxically placed in the diencephalon. In some dogs the electrodes were chronically implanted, and the stimulation was carried out after recovery from this second operation. In other animals stimulation was carried out immediately while they were under chloralose anesthesia. Stimulation of the H1 and H2 fields of Forel and the periventricular gray of the third ventricle resulted in cardiovascular responses similar to those which result from exercise.


1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (3) ◽  
pp. H548-H555
Author(s):  
G. E. Billman

It has been proposed that adenosine is a metabolic vasodilator that matches myocardial oxygen supply to demand by regulating coronary blood flow. In the present study, the adenosine antagonist aminophylline (Am) was used to evaluate the role adenosine plays in the coronary blood flow increase elicited by a controlled aversive stress, namely, classical aversive conditioning (a 30-s tone reinforced with a 1-s shock). Fifteen mongrel dogs were chronically instrumented to measure left circumflex coronary blood flow (CBF), left ventricular pressure (LVP), and heart rate. Am significantly (P greater than 0.01) attenuated the CBF response to the aversive stress without affecting the prestress levels (pre-Am control 40.9 +/- 2.4, peak 64.6 +/- 3.3 ml/min; post-Am control 41.7 +/- 2.2, peak 55.0 +/- 2.5 ml/min). The maximal CBF increase was reduced by 38.9 +/- 6.7% when compared with the control (no drug) condition. In a similar manner, neither heart rate nor LVP was affected by Am. However, Am significantly increased prestress level of first derivative of left ventricular pressure with reference to time [LV dP/dt] (pre-Am control 3,793.5 +/- 289.8 and Am 4,599.6 +/- 331.2 mmHg/s, respectively). These data suggest that adenosine contributes significantly to the regulation of CBF during a controlled emotional stress.


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