Effect of positive inotropic agents on the relation between oxygen consumption and systolic pressure volume area in canine left ventricle.

We analyzed the effect of positive inotropic agents on the relation between left ventricular oxygen consumption and the systolic pressure-volume area. Pressure-volume area is a measure of total mechanical energy for ventricular contraction, and is a specific area in the ventricular pressure-volume diagram circumscribed by the end-systolic and end-diastolic pressure-volume relation curves and the systolic segment of the pressure-volume trajectory. Either epinephrine (1 microgram/kg per min, iv) or calcium ion (0.03 mEq/kg per min, iv) was administered to canine excised cross-circulated hearts. These agents increased an index of ventricular contractility, Emax, or the slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume line, by 70%. The regression lines of ventricular oxygen consumption on pressure-volume area in control and in enhanced contractile states were of the same formula: ventricular oxygen consumption (ml O2/beat per 100 g) equals A times pressure-volume area (mm Hg ml/beat per 100 g) plus a constant B. Coe...