Myocardial perfusion in experimentally induced diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus was induced in rabbits by alloxan monohydrate. At the end of six-week period, animals of the control and diabetic groups (8 rabbits each) were sacrificed and their hearts were excised and perfused using Langendorff apparatus. Results revealed that diabetes had adverse effects on myocardial perfusion. The baseline coronary flow and maximum coronary flow were significantly reduced in diabetic hearts as compared with those of the control. The maximum total coronary flow tended to decrease in the diabetic hearts. Products of the metabolic changes which accompanied diabetes might have directly and/or indirectly caused the observed reduction in the coronary vascular capacity of the diabetic heart.