Effects of hypoxic and CO hypoxia on isolated hearts

Isolated perfused dog hearts were made hypoxic by respiring the support dog with low oxygen (hypoxic hypoxia) or with carbon monoxide (CO hypoxia). Each heart was exposed to both types of hypoxia, separately. Effects on coronary flow (Qt), coronary vascular resistance, cardiac oxygen consumption (Vo2), and contractility (%deltadP/dt) were studied. Two series of experiments were done. Series I: At constant perfusion pressure. As oxygen content (Cao2) was lowered from 20 to 5 vol%, Qt doubled with hypoxic hypoxia and almost tripled with CO hypoxia (P less than 0.01). Vo2 and contractility increased with both types of hypoxia. Beta-adrenergic blockade eliminated the increase in VO2 and contractility but not the difference in Qt increase between hypoxic and CO hypoxia. Series II: At constant Qt (with beta-blockade), vascular resistance decreased more with CO than hypoxic hypoxia. Finally, alpha-blockade eliminated the difference in vascular resistance and thus with complete (alpha and beta) blockade, the two types of hypoxia have the same effect and are indistinguishable.