Decreases in left ventricular contractility during endotoxin shock in rabbits.

The participation of the heart in shock syndrome formation during endotoxin shock is a problem still awaiting solution. The task undertaken is to assess the work of the left ventricle and arterial pressure in rabbits before and after endotoxin injection at a dose of 2 mg.kg-1. Heart rate is the first to reach significantly lower values--at 30 min (p less than 0.05). At 45 min, there are significant reductions in dP/dtmax (p less than 0.01), (dp/dt)/P40 (p less than 0.001), LVP (p less than 0.05), and increase in dP/dtneg (p less than 0.02). Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly decreased at 60 min. The data obtained warrant the assumption that impaired myocardial contractility plays a part in the formation of shock syndrome in rabbits exposed to endotoxin.