Energy status of the rapidly paced canine myocardium in congestive heart failure

Rapid ventricular pacing (RVP) is used as an experimental model of congestive heart failure (CHF). The purpose of this study was to determine the energy status of the dog myocardium after the development of CHF via chronic RVP. The myocardium had a significantly lower (P < 0.05) energy charge (EC) during CHF (0.63 +/- 0.01) than in sham-operated controls (0.82 +/- 0.02). This was due to significant differences in concentrations in ATP (-48%), ADP (29%), and AMP (275%) in the RVP group. However, the total adenine nucleotide pool was not different between groups. Myocardial lactate concentration was also similar. Glycogen was significantly lower (P < 0.05) by 20% at peak CHF. The adenine nucleotides were similar among the different myocardial layers (endo-, mid-, and epicardium). The administration of enalapril (an inhibitor of angiotension-converting enzyme) to decrease vascular resistance had no effect on the myocardial energy status of CHF dogs. These findings suggest that the lower EC in CHF animals is not the result of subendocardial ischemia. Also, lower EC is not associated with endogenous glycogen depletion or increased lactate concentration. The energy status of the myocardium in RVP-induced CHF is unlike that seen in ischemia-induced heart failure. This suggests that CHF in RVP is not vascular in origin.