Protective effect of chronic versus acute cardiac denervation on contractile force during coronary occlusion

John X. Thomas*, Walter C. Randall, Carl E. Jones

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of acute coronary artery (CA) occlusion on myocardial contractile force were studied in mongrel dogs with (1) chronically denervated hearts (n = 10), (2) acutely denervated hearts (n = 5), and (3) normally innervated hearts (n = 6). Contractile force was measured in ischemic and nonischemic areas using Walton-Brodie strain gauge arches sutured to the epicardium. Coronary occlusion was accomplished by ligating several small branches of the left anterior descending and the circumflex arteries supplying the apical region on the left ventricle. Following occlusion, contractile force in the ischemic area decreased by 66.8% in the control group, by 73.6% in the acutely denervated group, but only by 21.6% (P < 0.001) in the chronically denervated group. These results demonstrate that chronic cardiac denervation protects from the severe loss of contractile force in the ischemic area. This salutary effect is not seen with acute cardiac denervation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)157-161
Number of pages5
JournalAmerican heart journal
Volume102
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1981

Funding

Recently it has become apparent that the autonomic nervous system exerts considerable influence on ischemic myocardium. Thus, following coronary occlusion catecholamines increase infarct size, 1.2 impair myocardial contractile function, 3 increase ST segment elevation, 1 and lead to profound myocardial metabolic disturbances2.5 Conversely, following coronary occlusion adrenergic blocking agents From the Department of Physiology,L oyola University of Chicago,S tritch School of Medicine,a nd the Department of Medical Physiology,T exas A & M College of Medicine, Research for this study was supported by Grant HL 08682 and HL 02243 from the National Institutes of Health, and by a Career Development Award from the Schweppe Foundation of Chicago. Received for publication March 10, 1981; accepted March 27, 1981. Reprint requests: Dr. John X. Thomas, Jr., Dept. of Physiology, Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South First Ave., Maywood, Ill. 60153.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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