The association isoflurane-verapamil causes regional left-ventricular dyssynchrony in the dog

In ten dogs anesthetized with 1% inspired isoflurane, the effect of low-dose verapamil on global and regional myocardial function was studied. The administration of verapamil resulted in no change in heart rate or blood pressure, but left ventricular stroke work, peak power, LV dP/dt max, and aortic blood acceleration were significantly reduced, while coronary blood flow remained unchanged. End-diastolic length increased in territory supplied by both left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LC) artery, but a significant decrease in systolic shortening occurred in the LAD segment only. Dyssynchrony of wall motion, characterized by post-systolic shortening, accompanied in three animals by a small amount of systolic lengthening, appeared with the administration of verapamil and was more pronounced in the LAD segment. Such patterns of wall motion have usually been attributed to myocardial ischemia. In the absence of significant reduction in coronary blood flow, and in the presence of a delay in onset of shortening and lengthening, these patterns of wall motion are more likely to reflect dyssynchrony of regional function than ischemia.