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Biomedical subjects

R B Case

Publications and source records attributed to R B Case.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

A sequential angular lead presentation.

The presentation of the frontal leads was altered so that they could be displayed in sequential angular order. This was achieved by insertion of an inverting switch at the output stage of an electrocardiograph, so that the presented sequence of leads would be I, -aVR, II, aVF, III, and -aVL, corresponding to frontal plane vectors of 0 degree, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees and 150 degrees. This form of presentation was made in normals, patients with myocardial infarction, hemiblock, and switched leads. A smooth flow of ECG information results, the extent of the disease is more easily evaluated, and the QRS, T, and P axis is more easily evaluated. The usefulness of neglected leads in diagnosis may be increased.

Heart Block

Measurement of myocardial PCO2 with a microelectrode: its relation to coronary sinus PCO2.

A micro-PCO2 electrode, with dimensions of 1 x 10 mm, and a 63% response time of 14 s was inserted into the left ventricular myocardium of the pentobarbital-anesthetized dog. Continuous recordings were made of myocardial PCO2 (PmCO2), arterial PCO2 (PaCO2), and coronary sinus PCO2 (CSPCO2) during variation of respiratory rate. PmCO2 and CSPCO2 were compared at varying coronary flow. PmCO2 was similar to and closely followed changes in CSPCO2. The difference between PmCO2 and CSPCO2 was -0.52 +/- 3.63 (SD) mmHg, and PmCO2 exceeded PaCO2 by 20.69 +/- 5.12 mmHg. After coronary occlusion, PmCO2, rose promptly, but CSPCO2 was only slightly elevated until the occlusion was released, when a CO2 efflux into the coronary sinus occurred. It is concluded that the electrode measures extracellular PCO2 and that extracellular and myocardial PCO2 are essentially equal. PmCO2 rises rapidly following coronary occlusion.

Animals

Normal left ventricular function.

The Starling relationship in the normal human ventricle may be different than usually portrayed. In normal, resting, supine man the ventricular function curve is at its peak at a left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of approximately 10 mm Hg. Below this point is a strong direct relation between filling pressure and stroke work, while at higher filling pressures, a plateau occurs. Limitation of ventricular response is related to a sharply rising ventricular pressure-volume curve at a normal level of filling pressure. Thus, in the supine position, the normal heart is not on the active portion of the ventricular function curve, but is in a unique position in which cardiac output is probably controlled by factors other than ventricular filling pressure. In ventricular failure, the peak of the ventricular function curve is displaced to a higher level.

Blood Pressure Determination

Rate of rise of myocardial PCO2 during early myocardial ischemia in the dog.

We have investigated the rate of rise of myocardial PCO2 (PmCO2) after coronary artery occlusion using a new method for this measurement. Previous studies of PmCO2 have been limited by the slow response of the only available method, and no increase in MmCO2 prior to 3 minutes after occlusion has been found. We have implanted a miniature PCO2 electrode, with a 63% response time of 14 seconds, into the left ventricle of 14 open-chest dogs. After abrupt coronary occlusion, PmCO2 began to rise in 13.6 +/- 1.1 seconds in heparinized dogs and in 7.5 +/- 0.7 seconds in unheparinized dogs. The subsequent magnitude of the increase in PmCO2 was 24, 88, 171, and 222 mm Hg at 2, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after occlusion. The rate of rise of PmCO2 was essentially linear from 1 minute to 10 minutes at a rate of 18.3 mm Hg/min. The rate of rise was slower during the first 30 seconds after occlusion (6.1 mm Hg/min) and also from 30 seconds to 1 minute (9.7 mm Hg/min). This rate of rise is much greater than that previously observed and reflects the severe myocardial acidosis developing during ischemia. A rise in PmCO2 is one of the earliest metabolic changes that has been observed during myocardial ischemia.

Animals

Relative effect of CO2 on canine coronary vascular resistance.

We determined the effect of alterations in coronary arterial PCO2 on coronary vascular resistance (CVR) at a constant coronary sinus (CS) PO2 and the effect of coronary arterial PO2 variation on CVR at a constant CS PCO2. A linear but opposing effect on CVR was found for both gases. The sensitivity of CVR to O2 change, represented as CVR/CS PO2, was approximately twice that of the ratio CVR/CS PCO2. (0.0852 +/- 0.006 vs. -0.0362 +/- 0.005). The entire range of CVR variation obtainable through CO2 variation was as great as that resulting from O2 variation. During randomized variation of O2 and CO2, CVR can be mathematically related in a multiple linear expression to CS PO2 and CS PCO2.

Animals

The response of canine coronary vascular resistance to local alterations in coronary arterial P CO2.

The effect of hypercapnia on coronary vascular resistance (CVR) was studied in seven open-chest dogs. Coronary blood flow was supplied to the cannulated left main coronary artery from the femoral artery by a precision pump. Coronary arterial PCO2 was locally controlled with a small membrane oxygenator in the coronary perfusion circuit. Each PCO2 change was made at a constant coronary flow, and CVR was calculated from the ratio of perfusion pressure to flow. Coronary sinus (CS) PCO2 and PO2 were recorded continuously from blood withdrawn through a CS catheter. Normocapnia (PCO2 = 42.3 +/- 2.8 mm Hg) was obtained with a membrane oxygenator gas composition of 95% O2-5% CO2, and hypocapnia was produced with 100% O2-0% CO2. In addition to physiology normal coronary flow (determined by a CS PO2 of 20-30 mm Hg) relatively high and low flow states were studied. At a normal control CS PO2, a decrease in coronary arterial PCO2 from 42.3 +/- 2.8 to 23.8 +/- 1.3 mm Hg caused CVR to increase by 84.2%, from 1.27 +/- 0.06 to 2.30 +/- 0.04 units. Since pH was inversely related to PCO2, the effect on CVR may have been mediated through a pH change. CS PCO2 decreased from 65.2 +/- 1.9 to 39.4 +/- 1.3 mm Hg. myocardial oxygen consumption was unchanged. Increases in CVR of 74.5, 119.5, and 69.3% occurred during hypocapnia in three additional experiments in which control arterial PO2 was maintained at 52-90 mm Hg. When CS PO2 was greater than 30 mm Hg, the normocapnic CVR was high, and was only minimally increased by hypocapnia. When coronary flow was reduced to an ischemic level there was little response in CVR to hypocapnia. Thus the level of arterial PCO2 can have an important effect on CVR independent of changes in O2 consumption. Myocardial PCO2, derived from metabolically produced CO2 and contributed to by arterial CO2, may be a major factor in normal control of coronary flow.

Animals