Impaired in vivo myocardial reactivity to norepinephrine in diabetic rats.

The effects of long-term diabetes with and without insulin treatment on in vivo myocardial contractile activity were studied under basal conditions and as a function of intravenously infused norepinephrine. Diabetes was induced by iv injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). Insulin-treated diabetic rats received 5 units per day of isophane insulin suspension. The duration of the study was 8 weeks. In vivo myocardial contractility measurements were performed in ketamine-xylazine-anesthetized rats using a miniature catheter-tip pressure transducer advanced through the right carotid artery into the left ventricle. Peak positive dP/dt and intraventricular developed pressure were comparable among the groups when measured under basal conditions; however, the magnitude of the response to variable doses of norepinephrine (6 X 10(-12) to 6 X 10(-8) mole/kg body wt) were significantly diminished in diabetic rats, but the sensitivity was unchanged. Negative dP/dt was decreased under basal conditions and in response to norepinephrine in diabetic rats. Insulin treatment to diabetic rats prevented these changes, but heart rate was elevated. These results demonstrate that the in vivo cardiovascular reactivity of diabetic rats to norepinephrine is significantly attenuated.