The role of myocardial edema in the left ventricular diastolic stiffness.

It has been shown that simultaneous administration of norepinephrine (10mug/kg/min) and drotaverine (200 mug/kg/min) does induce interstitial myocardial edema which tends to increase left ventricular diastolic stiffness. These results suggest that in myocardial ischaemia temporary increase of left ventricular diastolic stiffness may be caused by interstitial edema.