Permanent changes of ventricular contractility and compliance in chronic volume overload

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Abstract
Left ventricular [LV] volume overload (LVVO) was created in 18 dogs by anastomosing a Dacron conduit between the infrarenal abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava. The dogs previously were instrumented so that in the awake state LV pressure, systemic arterial pressure, LV dP/dt [change in pressure with time], myocardial segment length and excursion, and coronary and renal artery velocities could be monitored. The animals were stressed with separate infusions of .alpha.-adrenergic and .beta.-adrenergic agonists. Both at rest and with stress, over a 12 wk period, preejection, ejection and contractility indices decreased. Left ventricular compliance decreased as exemplified by the increased ratio of end-diastolic pressure to end-diastolic length. The shunt was ablated in 7 dogs, and monitoring in conjuction with .alpha.- and .beta.-adrenergic stress for an additional 12 wk demonstrated an initial improvement in the previous indices. The amelioration plateaued and values similar to the control state were not attained. Potentially permanent alterations in ventricular function and compliance may have occurred.

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