TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of the calcium sensitizer levosimendan on the performance of ischaemic myocardium in anaesthetised pigs
AU - Tassani, Peter
AU - Schad, Hubert
AU - Heimisch, Werner
AU - Bernhard-Abt, Angelika
AU - Ettner, Ursula
AU - Mendler, Nikolaus
AU - Lange, Rüdiger
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - The calcium sensitizer levosimendan (LEV) improves the function of stunned myocardium, cardiac performance in heart failure, and possibly the efficiency of myocardial work. The present experiments investigated the effect of LEV on myocardial contraction and metabolism of acutely ischaemic myocardium distal to a functionally effective coronary artery stenosis. Anaesthetised open chest pigs (n = 14) were instrumented to assess heart rate (HR), aortic pressure (AoP), cardiac output (CO), blood flow in the left descending (QLAD) and circumflex (QLCX) coronary artery, myocardial end-diastolic segment length and systolic shortening (edL, MSS by sonomicrometry) in the LAD- and LCX-territory. Systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and a myocardial power index (PowI) for the LAD- and LCX-region were calculated. Following obstruction of QLAD by an external snare proximal to the first diagonal branch LEV was given intravenously (10 + 20 + 30 μg/kg 15 min apart, n = 8) or the vehicle of LEV (n = 6). Following LEV haemo-dynamics and regional myocardial performance changed significantly: HR +22 min-1, AoP -6 mmHg, CO +17%, SVR -21%; intact myocardium: QLCX +15%, RLCX-24%, PowILCX + 39%; ischaemic myocardium: QLAD -7%, MSSLAD -42%, PowILAD -27%. The data confirm the pharmacological profile of LEV: positive chronotropy, positive inotropy, and vasodilatation. The pump function of acutely ischaemic myocardium worsened following LEV. The efficiency of myocardial performance did not improve. A beneficial effect of LEV on the function of ischaemic myocardium was possibly outmanoeuvred by the increase in heart rate.
AB - The calcium sensitizer levosimendan (LEV) improves the function of stunned myocardium, cardiac performance in heart failure, and possibly the efficiency of myocardial work. The present experiments investigated the effect of LEV on myocardial contraction and metabolism of acutely ischaemic myocardium distal to a functionally effective coronary artery stenosis. Anaesthetised open chest pigs (n = 14) were instrumented to assess heart rate (HR), aortic pressure (AoP), cardiac output (CO), blood flow in the left descending (QLAD) and circumflex (QLCX) coronary artery, myocardial end-diastolic segment length and systolic shortening (edL, MSS by sonomicrometry) in the LAD- and LCX-territory. Systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and a myocardial power index (PowI) for the LAD- and LCX-region were calculated. Following obstruction of QLAD by an external snare proximal to the first diagonal branch LEV was given intravenously (10 + 20 + 30 μg/kg 15 min apart, n = 8) or the vehicle of LEV (n = 6). Following LEV haemo-dynamics and regional myocardial performance changed significantly: HR +22 min-1, AoP -6 mmHg, CO +17%, SVR -21%; intact myocardium: QLCX +15%, RLCX-24%, PowILCX + 39%; ischaemic myocardium: QLAD -7%, MSSLAD -42%, PowILAD -27%. The data confirm the pharmacological profile of LEV: positive chronotropy, positive inotropy, and vasodilatation. The pump function of acutely ischaemic myocardium worsened following LEV. The efficiency of myocardial performance did not improve. A beneficial effect of LEV on the function of ischaemic myocardium was possibly outmanoeuvred by the increase in heart rate.
KW - Anaesthetised pigs
KW - Calcium sensitizer
KW - Ischaemic myocardium
KW - Levosimendan
KW - Myocardial function
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037001566&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1023/A:1022190503351
DO - 10.1023/A:1022190503351
M3 - Article
C2 - 12652113
AN - SCOPUS:0037001566
SN - 0920-3206
VL - 16
SP - 435
EP - 441
JO - Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy
JF - Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy
IS - 5
ER -