Ventricular pump performance during hypocalcemia: clinical and experimental studies.

We have compared indices of ventricular function during rapid transfusion of citrated (1.5 ml/kg/min) or heparinized (1.5 ml/kg/min) autologous blood in six patients following discontinuation of cardiopulmonary bypass. Infusion of citrated blood was associated with a lowering of plasma ionized calcium concentration ([Ca++], from 0.90 +/- 0.04 to 0.71 +/- 0.4 mM, p less than 0.001) and an increase in pulmonary artery balloon-occluded pressure (PA0, from 9.4 +/- 2.6 to 15.5 +/- 1.7 mm Hg, p less than 0.u1), without a change in left ventricular stroke work index, stroke index, or cardiac index. Transfusion of heparinized blood caused no change in plasma [Ca++]. A rise in PA0, which was similar in magnitude to that observed during citrated blood transfusion, was associated with increased left ventricular stroke work index, stroke index, cardiac index, and mean arterial pressure. Although data obtained during citrated blood transfusion suggest the presence of transient left ventricular dysfunction, its magnitude is not readily expressed in terms of ventricular function curves when accompanied by a simultaneous change in [Cized closed-chest dog by volume loading during hypocalcemia, when mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and [Ca++] were in a steady state, both prior to and following beta blockade with propranolol. Function curves obtained during severe hypocalcemia ([Ca++] = 0.43 +/- 0.02 mM) were shifted significantly to the right and downward, when compared to those obtained during normocalcemia ([Ca++] = 1.06 +/- 0.03 mM). Hypocalcemia combined with beta blockade resulted in severe left ventricular failure, as demonstrated by a flat ventricular function curve.