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European Heart Journal 1994 15(4):555-560;
Copyright © 1994 by the European Society of Cardiology.
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© 1994 The European Society of Cardiology

Myocardial contractility evaluated from cross-oriented segments during ß-adrenergic blockade or sympathetic nerve stimulation

S. BIRKELAND and E. HEXEBERG

Surgical Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, University of Bergen, Haukeland Hospital Norway

Received 24 February 1993; revised 19 October 1993; .

Correspondence: Sigurd Birkeland, MD, Surgical Research Laboratory, University of Bergen, Haukeland Hospital, N-5021 Bergen, Norway

Abstract

In patient and experimental models of regions of the left ventricle subjected to ischaemia and thus made dysfunctional it is important to characterize the inotropic state of the remaining myocardium. Eighteen pentobarbitone-anaesthetized open-chest cats with an acute circumflex coronary artery occlusion were therefore studied during either sympathetic nerve stimulation (n=9), or after ß-adrenergic blockade (n=9). Myocardial contractility was evaluated from cross-oriented segments in the left ventricular anterior wall during stable haemodynamics and during 5 s inferior caval occlusion. The end-systolic pressure-length relationship of longitudinal segments was rather insensitive to ß-adrenergic blockade and sympathetic nerve stimulation. The end-systolic pressure-length relationship of circumferential segments was suitable as a marker of contractility in the low contractility range, whereas the peak systolic shortening velocity parameter was more suitable in the upper contractility range. The pressure-length loop area versus end-diastolic length relationship of both circumferential and longitudinal segments reflected both increased and decreased left ventricular inotropic state. We therefore conclude that the pressure-length loop area versus end-diastolic length relationship is the best index of regional myocardial contractility in regional ischaemic hearts.

Key Words: Orthogonal sonomicrometry • regional contractility • end-systolic pressure-length relation • systolic shortening velocity • preload recruitable stroke work


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