Intramyocardial pressure gradients in working and nonworking isolated cat hearts

1994 ◽  
Vol 266 (3) ◽  
pp. H1233-H1241 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. S. Mihailescu ◽  
F. L. Abel

This study presents an improved method for the measurement of intramyocardial pressure (IMP) using the servo-nulling mechanism. Glass micropipettes (20-24 microns OD) were used as transducers, coated to increase their mechanical resistance to breakage, and placed inside the left ventricular wall with a micropipette holder and manipulator. IMP was measured at the base of the left ventricle in working and nonworking isolated cat hearts that were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer. In working hearts a transmural gradient of systolic IMP oriented from endocardium toward the epicardium was found; the endocardial values for systolic IMP were slightly higher than systolic left ventricular pressure (LVP), by 11-18%. Increases in afterload induced increases in IMP, without changing the systolic IMP-to-LVP ratio. In nonworking hearts with drained left ventricles, the systolic transmural gradient for IMP described for working hearts persisted, but at lower values, and was directly dependent on coronary perfusion pressure. Systolic IMP-to-LVP ratios were always > 1. The diastolic IMP of both working and nonworking hearts exhibited irregular transmural gradients. Our results support the view that generated systolic IMP is largely independent of LVP development.

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippo Zilio ◽  
Simone Muraglia ◽  
Roberto Bonmassari

Abstract Background A ‘catecholamine storm’ in a case of pheochromocytoma can lead to a transient left ventricular dysfunction similar to Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. A cardiogenic shock can thus develop, with high left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and a reduction in coronary perfusion pressure. This scenario can ultimately lead to a cardiac arrest, in which unloading the left ventricle with a peripheral left ventricular assist device (Impella®) could help in achieving the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Case summary A patient affected by Takotsubo cardiomyopathy caused by a pheochromocytoma presented with cardiogenic shock that finally evolved into refractory cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed but ROSC was achieved only after Impella® placement. Discussion In the clinical scenario of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy due to pheochromocytoma, when cardiogenic shock develops treatment is difficult because exogenous catecholamines, required to maintain organ perfusion, could exacerbate hypertension and deteriorate the cardiomyopathy. Moreover, as the coronary perfusion pressure is critically reduced, refractory cardiac arrest could develop. Although veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (va-ECMO) has been advocated as the treatment of choice for in-hospital refractory cardiac arrest, in the presence of left ventricular overload a device like Impella®, which carries fewer complications as compared to ECMO, could be effective in obtaining the ROSC by unloading the left ventricle.


2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (5) ◽  
pp. H2191-H2197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teruo Noguchi ◽  
Zengyi Chen ◽  
Stephen P. Bell ◽  
Lori Nyland ◽  
Martin M. LeWinter

The effect of protein kinase C (PKC) activation on cardiac mechanoenergetics is not fully understood. To address this issue, we determined the effects of the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on isolated rat hearts. Hearts were exposed to PMA with or without pretreatment with the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine. Contractile efficiency was assessed as the reciprocal of the slope of the linear myocardial O2consumption (V˙o 2) pressure-volume area (PVA) relation. PMA decreased contractility ( E max; −30 ± 8%; P < 0.05) and increased coronary perfusion pressure (+58 ± 11%; P < 0.01) without altering left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Concomitantly, PMA decreased PVA-independentV˙o 2 [nonmechanical energy expenditure for excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling and basal metabolism] by 28 ± 8% ( P < 0.05) and markedly increased contractile efficiency (+41 ± 8%; P < 0.05) in a manner independent of the coronary vascular resistance. Basal metabolism was not affected by PMA. Chelerythrine abolished the PMA-induced vasoconstriction, negative inotropy, decreased PVA-independent V˙o 2, and increased contractile efficiency. We conclude that PKC-mediated phosphorylation of regulatory proteins reduces V˙o 2 via effects on both the contractile machinery and the E-C coupling.


1981 ◽  
Vol 240 (6) ◽  
pp. H941-H946 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Gross ◽  
J. D. Buck ◽  
D. C. Warltier

The role of coronary muscarinic receptors in the distribution of transmural blood flow across the left ventricular wall of the working heart was studied in anesthetized open-chest dogs. Tissue blood flow in subepicardium, midmyocardium, and subendocardium was determined with radioactive microspheres before and during activation of muscarinic vasodilator receptors by intracoronary infusions of acetylcholine. Myocardial and coronary vascular beta-receptors were blocked by sotalol (2.0 mg/kg iv). Equivalent submaximal coronary vasodilator doses of acetylcholine and adenosine were compared for effects on transmural blood flow. Intracoronary infusions of acetylcholine (5.0 and 10.7 micrograms/min) produced a dose-related increase in the subendocardial-subepicardial blood flow ratio (endo/epi) from 1.07 to 1.32 and 1.57, respectively. A progressively larger decrease in coronary vascular resistance occurred in the subendocardium than midmyocardium or subepicardium following acetylcholine administration. In contrast, intracoronary administration of adenosine (54.4 micrograms/min) produced no change in endo/epi. Atropine effectively blocked acetylcholine-induced coronary vasodilation but not vasodilation produced by adenosine. Neither agent affected heart rate, left ventricular pressure, coronary perfusion pressure, or myocardial contractility. These results suggest that activation of muscarinic coronary vasodilator receptors redistributes blood flow preferentially to the subendocardium independent of cardiac mechanical influences.


1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (2) ◽  
pp. H566-H572 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Miyamae ◽  
S. A. Camacho ◽  
W. D. Rooney ◽  
G. Modin ◽  
H. Z. Zhou ◽  
...  

During mild graded ischemia in perfused rat hearts, we (V.M. Figueredo, R. Brandes, M. W. Weiner, B. M. Massie, and S. A. Camacho. J. Clin. Invest 90: 1794-1802, 1992) previously found a relationship between decreased left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and increased Pi, in which intracellular pH, cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), ATP, and free-energy change of ATP hydrolysis were not altered enough to affect contractility. However, the contribution of decreased coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) to decreased LVDP could not be determined. Thus, in the present study, graded hypoxia in perfused rat hearts (95-37.5% O2) was used to increase Pi to similar levels produced during mild ischemia without altering CPP and minimizing changes of other potential mediators of contractile dysfunction. 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy and indo 1 fluorescence were used to assess energy metabolites and [Ca2+]i, respectively. The relationship between LVDP and Pi during graded hypoxia was fit to a monoexponential (LVDP = 105 x e-0.04Pi). These data were compared with the relationship of LVDP and Pi during mild ischemia (LVDP = 106 x e-0.08Pi) (V. M. Figueredo, R. Brandes, M. W. Weiner, B. M. Massie, and S. A. Camacho. J. Clin. Invest 90: 1794-1802, 1992). The exponential constant, which describes the effect of Pi on LVDP, was 50% lower during graded hypoxia relative to mild ischemia. This suggests that another mediator, which accounted for approximately 50% of the decrease of LVDP during mild ischemia, was not present during hypoxia. Because CPP decreased during ischemia but not hypoxia, these data suggest that CPP and Pi contribute similarly in mediating contractile dysfunction during mild ischemia.


1979 ◽  
Vol 236 (1) ◽  
pp. H7-H12 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Crystal ◽  
R. B. Boatwright ◽  
H. F. Downey ◽  
F. A. Bashour

Coronary shunting of 9 +/-1 micrometer and 25 +/- 5 micrometer radiolabeled microspheres was examined in anesthetized, open-chest dogs, whose left common coronary arteries were perfused at controlled pressures. Shunting was estimated from the difference in radioactivity between perfusion line and coronary sinus blood samples during selective elevations of coronary perfusion pressure (CPP), left ventricular afterload, and inspired oxygen. A linear relationship was found between coronary shunting of 9-micrometer microspheres and CPP over the range 100-200 mmHg. According to regression analysis, percent shunt flow was 4.0% at control CPP (100 mmHg) and 10.0% at CPP of 200 mmHg. No shunting of 25-micrometer microspheres occurred at any CPP. Raising afterload did not affect shunting at control CPP but attenuated the increase in shunting at elevated CPP. Changing inspired gas from room air to 100% oxygen did not influence shunting at control or elevated CPP. Raising CPP to 150 and 200 mmHg also released 2.5% and 5.9% of pretrapped 9-micrometer microspheres, respectively. This study demonstrates that vessels permitting passage of microspheres across coronary circulation are sensitive to elevated perfusion pressure.


1985 ◽  
Vol 249 (6) ◽  
pp. H1070-H1077 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Y. Liang ◽  
C. E. Jones

Coronary hypoperfusion was elicited in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized open-chest dogs by reducing left coronary perfusion pressure to 50 mmHg. Left coronary blood flow, as well as left ventricular oxygen extraction, oxygen consumption, and contractile force were measured. The reduction in perfusion pressure caused significant reductions in coronary flow, oxygen consumption, and peak reactive hyperemic flow. During hypoperfusion in 11 dogs, intracoronary infusion of the specific alpha 1-adrenergic antagonist prazosin (0.1 mg/min) increased coronary flow and oxygen consumption by 22 and 16%, respectively. Peak increases were observed after 6–8 min of prazosin infusion (0.6–0.8 mg prazosin), and both increases were statistically significant (P less than 0.05). In seven additional dogs, beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol (1.0 mg ic) did not significantly affect the actions of prazosin. In five additional dogs, the specific alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine (1.3 mg ic) in the presence of propranolol (1.0 mg ic) did not affect coronary flow or oxygen consumption during coronary hypoperfusion. Those results suggest that an alpha 1- but not an alpha 2-adrenergic constrictor tone was operative in the left coronary circulation under the conditions of these experiments.


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.


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