Integrative nature and time course of cardiovascular alterations in the diabetic rat

Time-dependent alterations in integrated cardiovascular function were assessed in the streptozotocin-diabetic rat. Hemodynamic measurements in the intact, anesthetized animal revealed significant and progressive reduction in heart rate after 2, 4, and 8 weeks of diabetes. Myocardial contractility (+ dP/dt) and rate of relaxation (-dP/dt) were preserved at 2 weeks, but progressively declined thereafter. Integrative mechanisms maintained mean arterial blood pressure within normal limits at all time points. Pressure was regulated by minimizing cardiac output reduction via slight increases in stroke volume (Starling mechanism) and concomitant small increases in total peripheral resistance. In response to graded isoproterenol infusion and brief, total aortic occlusion, percent increase of heart rate and + dP/dt was maintained despite decrements in absolute values. Reduced peripheral vasodilation resulted in elevated sensitivity of the heart rate-blood pressure relationship during isoproterenol challenge. The -dP/dt was uniformly impaired in diabetic rats during isoproterenol infusion. When given a rapid saline infusion, diabetic hearts appropriately augmented volume output via the Starling mechanism. Initial hemodynamic abnormalities observed in the intact, diabetic rat are consistent with known defects in cardiac adrenergic receptor density, contractile protein ATPase activity, and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake. However, many cellular and subcellular defects are compensated by integrative hemodynamic mechanisms while latent alterations are observed only in the intact cardiovascular system.