Effects of altered site of electrical activation on myocardial performance during inotropic stimulation

Abstract

The effects of altering the site of electrical activation on responses to isoproterenol (ISO) and treadmill exercise were examined in mongrel dogs instrumented for long-term measurement of left ventricular pressure, left ventricular dP/dt, coronary blood flow, cardiac output, left ventricular diameters, and mean arterial pressure and O2 content in the coronary sinus and aorta. During spontaneous rhythm, 0.2 μg/kg/min ISO increased heart rate by 90 ± 7 beats/min, left ventricular dP/dt by 2479 ± 301 mm Hg/sec, cardiac output by 3.5 ± 0.9 liters/min, coronary blood flow by 30.4 ± 3.9 ml/min, and myocardial oxygen consumption (MV̇O2) by 3.91 ± 0.84 ml/min. During right atrial pacing at 193 ± 7 beats/min, the effects of ISO were not different from the effects during spontaneous rhythm, with the exception of a lesser increase in coronary blood flow and lesser reductions in coronary resistance and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and pressure. During right ventricular pacing at an identical rate, ISO increased left ventricular dP/dt (1140 ± 158 mm Hg/sec) and cardiac output (2.2 ± 0.5 liters/min) significantly less (p < .025) than during either sinus rhythm or right atrial pacing, while MV̇O2 rose to a higher value. During right ventricular pacing the changes in mean arterial pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic diameters with ISO were not significantly different from those during right atrial pacing. Treadmill exercise induced significantly smaller (p