Effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide on myocardial performance.

It is now recognized that stimulation of the vagus releases both acetylcholine (ACh) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Whereas ACh depresses cardiac function, recent data indicate that VIP may have a cardiostimulatory effect. Exogenously administered VIP appears to enhance left ventricular (LV) contractile function; however, whether endogenously released VIP alters LV performance is not known. Accordingly, we evaluated the effects of exogenous VIP and endogenously released VIP during vagal stimulation after muscarinic and beta-adrenergic blockade (VS-B) on LV performance using pressure-volume analysis. Eight anesthetized open-chest dogs instrumented to measure LV pressure and volume (conductance catheter) were pretreated with atropine (0.1 mg/kg) and propranolol (1 mg/kg). The cervical vagi were transected. Hemodynamic data were obtained at steady state and during transient vena caval occlusion. Exogenous intravenous VIP (0.05 microgram/kg-1 x min-1) increased HR minimally [2.1 +/- 0.9% increase; P = not significant (NS)] but significantly increased maximum first time derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dtmax; 29.4 +/- 19.9% increase; P < 0.05) and the slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume relation (Ees; 3.1 +/- 1.3 to 8.9 +/- 4.2 mmHg/ml; P < 0.05). Minimum first time derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dtmin) decreased 22 +/- 16.2% (P < 0.05), and the time constant of isovolumic relaxation (tau) decreased 38 +/- 18% (P < 0.05). During VS-B (20 Hz, 15 v, 5 min), HR increased significantly (98 +/- 11 to 130 +/- 26 beats/min; P < 0.05). Ees also increased significantly (3.3 +/- 1.6 vs. 5.2 +/- 2.8 mmHg/ml; P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)