[Myocardial blood flow and oxygen consumption in the fibrillating and empty-beating heart]

Myocardial flow and oxygen consumption are reduced during cardiopulmonary bypass. In ventricular fibrillation both flow and O2 consumption are higher than in the empty beating heart; after the fibrillation flow remains elevated although O2 consumption decreases. Aortic pressure is the major determinant of the myocardial flow rate, especially in hemodilution.