Left ventricular O2 consumption and pressure-volume area in puppies

We studied the relation between O2 consumption (VO2) and systolic pressure-volume (PV) area (PVA) in the left ventricles of eight puppies (2-4 mo old). PVA is the area circumscribed by the end-systolic and end-diastolic PV curves and systolic PV trajectory. We assumed PVA to represent the total mechanical energy generated by ventricular contraction. We produced isovolumic contractions at different volumes in the left ventricles isolated and cross-circulated with adult dogs. VO2 closely correlated with PVA in each of control contractile state, an enhanced contractile state with epinephrine, and a depressed contractile state with propranolol in each heart. The slope of the regression line of VO2 on PVA was not significantly affected by epinephrine and propranolol. The regression line shifted upward with epinephrine and downward with propranolol. These characteristics of the puppy's VO2-PVA relation were comparable to those of the adult dog. These results suggest that similar relations hold between myocardial mechanics and energetics in both the puppy and adult dog despite the differences in the heart size and contractile properties.