Nonsympathetic increased inotropic state early after aortic insufficiency.

The very early left ventricular response to chronic volume overload induced by aortic insufficiency (AI) was examined in conscious dogs previously instrumented with a left ventricular micromanometer and ultrasonic crystals measuring internal diameter, segmental length, and parietal wall thickness. Acute volume loading with dextran (AVL) was compared with that 24 and 48 h after AI induced by a perforation of the aortic valve. beta-Blockade was also produced before and after AI. For a similar increase in preload in AVL and after AI, the percent change in systolic shortening of diameters and segments (% delta L) increased from 30.4 to 34.1% after AI (P less than 0.01). For matched calculated wall stress during AVL and AI, % delta L and peak velocity of shortening were significantly increased after AI, and the same results were reproduced after beta-blockade. We conclude that, at the early phase of chronic volume overload before hypertrophy appears, left ventricular hyperfunction is mainly due to a nonsympathetic increased contractility and that, in the conscious dog, the inotropic state appears to be modified by a sustained increased preload.