Heart rate and myocardial substrate preference during normal and hypoxic perfusion of the heart in vivo.

Selective utilization of carbohydrates and FFA by the heart was studied on the open-chest dog preparation. The heart was paced at frequencies from 120-240/min, and arterial and coronary venous blood samples were taken at these frequencies both during normal ventilation and hypoxia (arterial PO2 similar to 55 mmHg). The concentrations of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and FFA were determined, and substrate utilization was calculated from these values and coronary blood flow. It was found that increased heart rate, particularly during hypoxia, increased utilization of both glucose and FFA. However, the relative amount of the energy produced from glucose utilization was minimal during hypoxia and most glucose underwent glycolysis only. Thus, whereas in control conditions of the relation between carbohydrate and FFA was about 60% to 40% during hyposia and high frequency the relation was reversed and almost 90% of all energy produced was supplied by FFA.