Coronary blood flow in experimental canine left ventricular hypertrophy

To determine whether left ventricular hypertrophy [LVH] altered total and regional coronary blood flow, we inflated a balloon around the ascending aorta of nine dogs; six acute and six sham-operated dogs were controls. After 6 weeks, all dogs were studied with an open chest under anesthesia; the balloons were deflated. There was moderate LVH as shown by increased left ventricular weight and fiber diameter. At rest there were no major differences of coronary flow or resistance per gram of muscle. With maximal coronary vasodilation due to adenosine or carbochrome, mean coronary vascular resistance was 84% higher in LVH than in normal hearts; with isoproterenol, resistance was 54% higher in LVH. These changes were similar in right and left ventricles. Minimal coronary resistance at end diastole also was higher in LVH--64% and 94% for the two sets of vasodilators, respectively. There were no significant differences in capillary or large vessel proportional volumes in LVH and control dogs, but arterial capacity could not be estimated. The raised minimal coronary resistance suggests the possibility that, with stress, coronary flow, especially to subendocardial muscle, might be inappropriate and perhaps cause ischemic damage. However, the changes noted might have been due to coronary arterial responses to raised coronary pressures rather than to hypertrophy itself.