Load-dependent left ventricular relaxation in conscious dogs.

Load-dependent relaxation was studied in eight conscious dogs by inflating an intra-aortic balloon during late systole. Initially, the balloon was inflated at the aortic dicrotic notch and deflated before the next systole; subsequently, the inflation time was moved progressively earlier in 30-ms steps. This intervention produced an abrupt increment in left ventricular (LV) systolic pressure. The contraction duration was assessed by measuring the time required for LV pressure to fall by 50% of its maximum value (P50). The rate of LV pressure decline was assessed by measuring its peak negative first time derivative (-dP/dt) and the time constant of relaxation (tau). When the balloon was inflated during late systole (50 +/- 5 ms before aortic dicrotic notch), the time to peak -dP/dt fell, P50 fell, peak -dP/dt increased, and tau was unchanged. Thus the initial rate of LV pressure decline was accelerated, and the duration of the contraction was abbreviated. These data indicated that myocardial relaxation in the intact conscious dog is load dependent. Late systolic balloon inflations were performed after treatment with propranolol, verapamil, or caffeine. During propranolol and verapamil, the rate of LV relaxation (peak -dP/dt and tau) was slowed; however, the effects of balloon inflation on LV pressure transients were qualitatively similar to that seen in the baseline state. By contrast, caffeine prevented the abbreviation in the contraction duration caused by late-systolic balloon inflation. Thus LV relaxation remained load dependent when myocardial relaxation was slowed by propranolol or verapamil; load-dependent relaxation was attenuated by caffeine, presumably due to its influence on the sarcoplasmic reticulum.