Effects of nifedipine on diastolic function during brief periods of flow-limiting ischemia in the conscious dog.

To determine the contribution of transsarcolemmal calcium flux to abnormal diastolic function produced by brief periods of flow-limiting ischemia and reperfusion, we evaluated early and late diastolic function during transient coronary occlusion and reperfusion before and during administration of intravenous nifedipine (NIF) (10 +/- 1 microgram/kg/min) in nine preinstrumented conscious dogs. We also assessed the effects of nitroprusside (NTP) (2 +/- 0.2 micrograms/kg/min) during an identical period of ischemia and reperfusion to independently assess the consequences of altered loading alone on diastolic function. To minimize the effects of temporal dysynchrony and altered ventricular loading conditions on isovolumetric relaxation, we developed a conscious dog preparation of reversible transient (30 to 60 sec) bilateral coronary occlusion (BCO). BCO was characterized by significant systolic depression: maximum (+)dP/dt decreased (from 2617 +/- 600 to 1981 +/- 565 mm Hg/sec, p less than .05), left ventricular transverse dimension shortening diminished (from 20 +/- 5 to 9 +/- 5%, p less than .05), and the left ventricle dilated (42.4 +/- 6.4 to 43.8 +/- 6.3 mm, p less than .05). Concomitantly the time constants of isovolumetric relaxation prolonged (from 22 +/- 3 to 28 +/- 4 msec, p less than .05) and minimal diastolic left ventricular pressure increased (from -3 +/- 6 to 6 +/-6 mm Hg, p less than .05). The passive diastolic pressure-dimension relationship shifted upward and to the right and was associated with increased chamber stiffness (from 0.50 +/- 0.26 to 1.03 +/- 0.53 mm Hg/mm, p less than .05) and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (from 7 +/- 7 to 19 +/- 7 mm Hg, p less than .05). Reperfusion immediately after BCO was characterized by prompt restoration of systolic contractile performance [maximum (+)dP/dt 3220 +/- 530 mm Hg/sec] but persistently abnormal early and late diastolic function (time constant of isovolumetric relaxation 30 +/- 6 msec, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure 20 +/- 7 mm Hg). The effects of drug administration on ventricular function during BCO were then evaluated under matched loading conditions. NTP improved time constant of isovolumetric relaxation (20 +/- 8 vs 28 +/- 4 msec, p less than .05) and minimal diastolic left ventricular pressure (2 +/- 5 vs 6 +/- mm Hg, p less than .05) during BCO, but NIF did not (time constant of isovolumetric relaxation 27 +/- 6 msec, minimal diastolic left ventricular pressure 7 +/- 5 mm Hg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)