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Biomedical subjects

W J Powell

Publications and source records attributed to W J Powell.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Interaction of aortic pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in the dog.

Fiber length (preload) is an important determinant of left ventricular performance. Mean aortic blood pressure also influences ventricular performance. The present study was undertaken to examine the influence of mean aortic pressure on the fiber length-ventricular performance relationship. Fifteen anesthetized, adrenergically blocked dogs were studied on right-heart bypass at constant heart rate and coronary blood flow. An increase in mean aortic pressure permitted a greater improvement in performance as evaluated by stroke work for a given increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. A given increase in mean aortic pressure at a constant stroke volume produced a greater rise in stroke work over intermediate ranges of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure than occurred with higher or lower left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Thus, the degree of afterload-induced performance improvement depended on the magnitude of the preload. External circumference-left ventricular end-diastolic pressure data suggested a possible relationship between isovolumic systolic circumferential expansion and the improvement of ventricular performance at higher mean aortic pressures.

Animals↗

Effect of hyperosmotic mannitol on myocardial oxygen consumption.

Hyperosmotic mannitol produces salutary hemodynamic and histologic effects during experimental myocardial ischemia. However, the administration of hyperosmotic mannitol is associated with a positive inotropic influence. Positive inotropic interventions, which increase myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2), also tend to increase the extent of ischemic myocardial injury. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mannitol on MVO2. Anesthetized dogs on right-heart bypass under conditions of controlled hemodynamics were studied. Both coronary arteries were perfused; mannitol was infused via the coronary perfusion cannulas to produce a 35 mosmol increase in osmolality. Heart rate was maintained constant. Cardiac output was held constant or deliberately increased so that left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and tension-time index, two other hemodynamic correlates of MVO2, remained constant or increased. MVO2 significantly decreased under conditions of decreased myocardial perfusion (P less than 0.025). This was in spite of a significant increase (P less than 0.001) in the peak rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (LV dP/dt), a hemodynamic correlate of MVO2. Thus, hyperosmotic mannitol under conditions of reduced coronary perfusion increases myocardial efficiency.

Animals↗

Detection of edema associated with myocardial ischemia by computerized tomography in isolated, arrested canine hearts.

This study was undertaken to determine if computerized tomography (CT scanning) with an EMI cranial scanner could detect edema associated with myocardial ischemia in canine hearts. A localized area of decreased density in the posterior papillary muscle and surrounding myocardium was detected on serial 8 mm CT scan slices of each heart after 60 min of circumflex artery occlusion and 45 min of reflow of blood. The wet/dry weight ratios and previous electron microscope studies of the ischemic posterior papillary muscles revealed edema accumulation. After 1 hour of arterial occlusion and 12 hours of reflow (which produces extensive necrosis and a decrease in the wet/dry ratio) lesions were still discernible but were less consistently as severe. Permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery and major collateral arteries for 6 hours also resulted in a lesion of decreased density in the distribution of the occluded arteries. Thus, CT scanning can detect, and is a potential means for sequential noninvasive quantitation of myocardial edema associated with ischemia.

Animals↗

Neurogenic coronary vasoconstrictor effects of digitalis during acute global ischemia in dogs.

The rapid i.v. administration of digitalis has recently been shown to cause a substantial increase in coronary vascular resistance in the normal heart. This neurogenically mediated decrease in coronary blood flow would be potentially detrimental if it occurred during ischemia. The present study evaluates the effects of i.v. acetylstrophanthidin and digoxin on coronary vascular resistance during acute global ischemia in 29 dogs anesthetized with chloralose and urethane. Under these conditions, 0.5 mg of i.v. acetylstrophanthidin in 15 dogs resulted in erratic increases in coronary vascular resistance. The peak rise was 12+/-5% above control (P less than 0.01). In 7 of the 15 dogs, the initial erratic rise in coronary vascular resistance culminated in a steep rise associated with acute elevation in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, which in four dogs terminated in ventricular fibrillation. During the nonischemic control periods, the peak rise in coronary vascular resistance with acetylstrophanthidin was 16+/-1% above control (P less than 0.01). In five dogs, prior alpha adrenergic receptor blockade with phenoxybenzamine prevented the rise in coronary vascular resistance with acetylstrophanthidin during ischemia. Similar erratic increases in coronary vascular resistance were observed with i.v. digoxin (1 mg) during ischemia in three dogs. In two of these dogs, there was a progressive rise in coronary vascular resistance associated with elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and ventricular fibrillation. The increase in coronary vascular resistance with digoxin during ischemia was abolished with phenoxybenzamine in two additional dogs. Thus, i.v. digitalis in the ischemic heart results in potentially detrimental increases in coronary vascular resistance mediated through alpha adrenergic receptor stimulation.

Animals↗

Right and left ventricular volumes and wall measurements: determination by computed tomography in arrested canine hearts.

Computed tomographic (CT) images of in vitro hearts filled with iodinated contrast medium have delineated right and left ventricular cavities, papillary muscles, major trabeculae, pulmonary artery, and the aorta. Because of relatively good structural definition, this study was undertaken to determine the potential use of CT in the measurement of cardiac dimensions and cavity volumes. Ten isolated arrested canine hearts were filled with an iodinated oil-paraffin mixture and scanned transversely from base to apex. Measurements of the thickness of the interventricular septum and of the left ventricular posterior wall (indexes of cardiac hypertrophy) had a high degree of correlation to similar measurements of corresponding heart specimens. Using serial tomographic images, the cavity volumes of individual tomographic scans were totaled. The volume of each scan of given thickness was obtained either by the use of planimetry or from a numerical computer printout. Both the planimetric and computer methods gave right and left ventricular volumes which correlated well (P less than .05) with the volumes of paraffin casts. Unlike other techniques widely used for ventricular volume measurement, the method described does not depend on an assumption that the chamber resembles a specific geometric model. This method of volume measurement is applicable to both the left ventricle, regardless of its shape, and to the concave irregularly shaped right ventricle.

Animals↗

Gustatory sweating caused by blunt trauma.

A case of gustatory sweating after blunt trauma to the left side of the face has been discussed. In addition to a fibular fracture, the patient sustained multiple mandibular fractures as well as paralysis of the left facial nerve, which disappeared within five weeks. Three months after the trauma, the patient had gustatory sweating, which was controlled with topical applications of scopolamine hydrobromide.

Adult↗

Observations on autoregulation in skeletal muscle: the effects of arterial hypoxia.

Autoregulation of blood flow in skeletal muscle, as manifested by steady-state resistance changes, has been shown to be present in the low range of perfusion pressure but has been demonstrated by some observers to be lacking at higher perfusion pressures. Transient responses have often been neglected or observed only qualitatively in analyses of autoregulation. The present study was undertaken (1) to determine the relative importance of steady-state and transient responses in flow in demonstrating autoregulation of blood flow over a broad range of perfusion pressures, (2) to establish a means of quantitating autoregulation, and (3) to observe the effect of hypoxia on autoregulation. In isolated, perfused canine gracilis muscle, perfusion pressure was increased and subsequently returned to baseline (9.7 +/- 0.13 kPa [73 +/- 1 mmHg]) during perfusion with normally oxygenated blood (PO2 = 9.3-13.3 kPa [70-100 mmHg]), and mildly (PO2 = 6.1-9.2 kPa [46-69 mmHg]), moderately (PO2 = 4.5-6.0 kPa [34-45 mmHg]), or severely (PO2 = 2.7-4.4kPa [20-33 mmHg]) hypoxic blood. Consistent with other studies canine gracilis muscle was often found to possess passive vascular responses when only steady-state parameters were considered. However, quantitation of the transient response in flow with step increases in perfusion pressure demonstrated substantial transient responses under conditions of normal oxygenation, and progressive attenuation of flow transients with increasing hypoxia.

Animals↗

Interaction of interval-force relationship with aortic pressure and stroke volume.

The modification by aortic pressure and stroke volume of the response in cardiac performance to increases in heart rate (interval-force relationship) has not been previously studied. To investigate this interaction, 30 adrenergically blocked anesthetized dogs on right heart bypass were studied. At constant low aortic pressure and stroke volume, increasing heart rate (over the entire range 60-180) is associated with a continuously increasing stroke power, decreasing systolic ejection period, and an unchanging left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and circumference. At increased aortic pressure or stroke volume at low rates (60-120), increases in heart rate were associated with an increased performance. However, at increased aortic pressure or stroke volume at high rates (120-180), increases in heart rate were associated with a leveling or decrease in performance. Thus, an increase in aortic pressure or stroke volume results in an accentuation of the improvement in cardiac performance observed with increases in heart rate, but this response is limited to a low heart rate range. Therefore, the hemodynamic response to given increases in heart rate is critically dependent on aortic pressure and stroke volume.

Animals↗

Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure volume relationships with experimental acute global ischemia.

The mechanism of elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure during acute global ischemia was evaluated by examiniation of the relative contributions of a decrease in contractility and an alteration of the pressure-volume relationship. The external circumference (mercury-in-silastic gauge) pressure relationship, as an index of the pressure-volume relationship, was studied in beta adrenergic and ganglionic blocked, open chest dogs on right heart bypass at constant heart rate ane aortic pressure. Ischemia of one and two hours' duration was produced by reducing total coronary blood flow in cannulated left and right coronary arteries until left ventricular end-diastolic pressure rose significantly. At a constant stroke work, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure rose from 5.0 +/- 0.5 to 15.0 +/- 0.5 cm H2O in the experiments of one hour of ischemia, and from 7.0 +/- 1.0 to 17.0 +/- 1.0 cm H2O in experiments of two hours of ischemia. Ischemia was followed by one hour of restoration of coronary blood flow. Ischemia produced a marked depression of ventricular function: stroke work, considered at a left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 15 cm H2O, decreased from 21.0 +/- 3.0 to 3.5 +/- 0.5 gm-m, and from 15.0 +/- 2.0 to 2.5 +/- 0.5 gm-m, in the experiments of one and two hours, respectively. Neither ischemia nor reflow changed the pressure-volume relationship. Thus, the elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure during ischemia in an otherwise normal canine myocardium is due to a decrease in systolic performance of the heart rather than to an alteration of the pressure-volume relationship.

Acute Disease↗

The protective effect of hyperosmotic mannitol in myocardial ischemia and necrosis.

Morphologic and hemodynamic changes that occur following coronary occlusion are examined. The effectiveness of hyperosmotic mannitol in lessening the extent of myocardial damage is assessed and mechanisms for its action discussed. Forty and 60 min of coronary vascular occlusion followed by 15 and 45 min of reflow were associated with a persistence of ischemia following reflow of blood, as established by infusions of silastic into the aortic root. Electron microscopic studies demonstrated myocardial and endothelial cell swelling at the end of the reflow period. The process of cell swelling appeared to be initiated during the period of arterial occlusion. This cell swelling was reduced by elevation of serum osmolality by 30-40 mOsm above control with the administration of mannitol during and following occlusion. There was an associated 40-50% reduction of vascular resistance following occlusion if mannitol was administered. In addition, the extent of necrosis, which was widespread in untreated hearts 12 hours after occlusion, was strikingly less in the hearts of dogs which received mannitol. Thus, in ischemic myocardium, elevation of osmolality by mannitol reduces myocardial necrosis, probably through its restoration of normal cell volume.

Animals↗

Progressive perfusion impairment during prolonged low flow myocardial ischemia in dogs.

Recent studies have shown that after total coronary artery occlusion, there is impaired "reflow" of blood accompanied by myocardial and capillary endothelial cell swelling. To investigate the effect of prolonged low flow myocardial ischemia on coronary vascular resistance, regional hypoperfusion of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery was studied in 31 autonomically blocked dogs on right heart bypass. Heart rate, aortic pressure, and, during ischemia, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were held constant. The distal left anterior descending coronary artery was perfused at a substantially reduced perfusion pressure which resulted in an antegrade coronary blood flow that usually was between 3% and 7% (0.5-1 ml/min) of control. When relative hypothermia (33-34 degrees C) was induced in nine dogs, left anterior descending coronary artery vascular resistance did not change during 2.5-3 hours of low flow ischemia. Under euthermic conditions (37-40 degrees C) in 17 dogs there was a consistent progressive increase in distal left anterior descending coronary artery vascular resistance starting at 90 minutes (median) after onset of ischemia. By 110-140 minutes ischemic antegrade flow decreased by 35 +/- 4% (SEM) (P less than 0.01). Directionally similar flow changes were observed in six euthermic experiments using the krypton-85 washout technique. Light microscopy did not reveal hemorrhage as a cause of the increased vascular resistance. The perfusion impairment did not occur in two euthermic, nonischemic hearts. In five dogs elevation of serum osmolality by 23 +/- 11 mOsmol/liter with mannitol attenuated the progressive decrease in flow. Thus, a progressive perfusion defect exists in the ischemic low flow state in the heart which presumably contributes to the extent of eventual necrosis.

Animals↗

Effects of hyperosmotic mannitol in reducing ischemic cell swelling and minimizing myocardial necrosis.

Impaired metabolism interferes with the active extrusion of intracellular sodium and results in intracellular edema. In the brain and regionally in the kidney, elevation of extracellular osmolality is accompanied by a reduction of ischemic cell swelling and improvement of reflow of blood after arterial occlusion. Studies were therefore performed to examine the effect of elevation of extracellular osmolality on ischemic myocardial physiology and by morphologic examination on the extent of acute injury and subsequent necrosis. Under conditions of controlled hemodynamics, administration of hyperosmotic mannitol resulted in improvement of function of the canine heart with regional ischemia, a lessening of the extent of ischemic injury assessed by electrocardiographic ST segment mapping, and improved total and collateral blood flow. Metabolic studies under conditions of controlled hemodynamics revealed that hyperosmotic mannitol reduced the myocardial oxygen requirement of the ischemic heart. Mannitol dilated large collateral conductance vessels in addition to improving blood flow through the region of myocardial ischemia. Under conditions of ischemia induced by a prolonged reduction in coronary perfusion, hyperosmotic mannitol attenuated the progressive rise in vascular resistance. Direct morphologic examination of areas of myocardium subjected to total interruption of blood flow followed by reflow of blood revealed swelling of both myocardial and capillary endothelial cells early during the reflow period. The extent of swelling was substantially reduced with elevation of the extracellular osmolality with mannitol. Simarilty, osmolality elevation strikingly reduced the extent of eventual myocardial necrosis following prolonged periods of reflow of blood.

Animals↗