Sensitivities of cardiac O2 consumption and contractility to catecholamines in dogs

We studied the effects of plasma catecholamines from the adrenal gland on systolic pressure-volume area (PVA)-independent O2 consumption (VO2) and contractility index (Emax) in the left ventricle of excised cross-circulated dog hearts. PVA is a measure of the total mechanical energy of contraction. Under baseline conditions, the PVA-independent VO2 correlated with plasma catecholamine level in the hearts (r = 0.84). Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels increased gradually from 0.3 and 0.4 ng/ml to 10.3 and 2.7 ng/ml on average during adrenal sympathetic nerve stimulation of support dogs. Simultaneously, Emax and PVA-independent VO2 increased by 240 +/- 127 (SD) and 75 +/- 24%. Although their increases were monotonic in a given heart, their sensitivities to catecholamines were considerably variable among hearts. However, these two sensitivities were correlated (r = 0.96) with each other in the hearts, and the interheart variation of the sensitivity of the PVA-independent VO2 to Emax (i.e., oxygen cost of Emax) was smaller. We conclude that the oxygen cost of Emax is less variable among hearts despite large interheart variations of Emax and VO2 responses to plasma catecholamines.

Mechanisms of initial heart rate response to postural change

We explored in 43 healthy subjects the afferent mechanisms of the initial heart rate response to standing by comparing free standing, 70 degrees head-up tilt, handgrip, and contraction of abdominal and leg muscles. The results indicate the following. 1) Standing evokes an immediate, large, bimodal increase of heart rate (HR) of about 20 s duration that far exceeds the gradual HR rise induced by 70 degrees head-up tilt. 2) The immediate HR increase with active standing is due to the exercise reflex and results in a first peak about 3 s after standing briskly. 3) The secondary, more gradual HR increase after 5 s of standing and the subsequent rapid decrease of HR between about 12 and 20 s corresponds through the baroreceptor reflex with a striking fall, recovery, and sometimes overshoot of arterial pressure. 4) The maximum HR increase found after about 12 s of standing is augmented and delayed after rest. 5) The time course of the initial HR response is not modified by physical training. We conclude that active and passive changes of posture result in fundamentally different cardiovascular effects for about 20 s and that "central command," muscle receptors, high-pressure receptors, low-pressure receptors, and the plasma catecholamine level are probably all involved in the initial HR response to standing.