Effect of digitalis on the diaphragm in anesthetized dogs

We examined the effect of digitalis on diaphragmatic contractility and fatigability in 19 anesthetized mechanically ventilated dogs. The diaphragmatic force was assessed from transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi) developed at functional residual capacity against an occluded airway during cervical phrenic nerve stimulation. In a first group of five dogs, Pdi-stimulus frequency relationships were compared before and after administration of ouabain in doses of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.04 mg/kg. In a second group, diaphragmatic fatigue was produced by bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation at 30 Hz. Ten seconds of stimulation and 15 s of mechanical ventilation were repeated for 30 min. The rates of decrease in Pdi were compared between two groups, one of 0.05 mg/kg deslanoside-treated dogs (n = 7) and one of nontreated dogs (n = 7). After ouabain administration Pdi was significantly greater at each frequency in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, the rate of decrease in Pdi in the deslanoside group was significantly smaller than that in the nontreated group, whereas deslanoside did not greatly change the Pdi-frequency curves in fresh diaphragm. We conclude that ouabain improves contractility of the fresh diaphragm and that deslanoside has a protective effect against fatigability.