Enhanced left ventricular shortening during chronic volume overload in conscious dogs

Prior work with the arteriovenous fistula model indicates that left ventricular performance is at least normal and may be enhanced during chronic volume overload. The present study was undertaken in conscious dogs to determine whether ejection-phase indices of ventricular function are enhanced after 1 mo of volume overload, using an experimental design in which loading conditions could be accounted for and animals were used as their own controls before and after volume overload. We also examined the response of the volume-overloaded left ventricle to an afterload stress and the role of adrenergic stimulation in maintenance of function. Both at rest and during hemodynamically matched conditions, percent shortening (ultrasonic dimension gauges) and mean shortening rates were increased during volume overload. This difference was maintained during phenylephrine-induced blood pressure elevation, although diastolic dimensions increased more in control studies during phenylephrine. Propranolol produced significantly larger reductions in these indices during volume overload than in the control state. Thus, ejection-phase function is enhanced during volume overload, at least in part due to increased adrenergic stimulation.