title: Acute effect of L-arginine on hemodynamics and vascular capacitance in the canine pacing model of heart failure.
abstract: The effect of L-arginine, 250 mg/kg over 10 min, on hemodynamics and venous function was studied in nine splenectomized dogs under light pentobarbital anesthesia before and after 17 +/- 1 days of rapid right ventricular pacing (RRVP) at 250 beats/min. Chronic RRVP induced mild congestive heart failure with increased mean circulatory filling (Pmcf), right atrial (Pra) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressures (Ppcw), and reduced cardiac output (CO). During the development of heart failure, total vascular compliance assessed from Pmcf-blood volume relationships during circulatory arrest was unchanged, but total vascular capacitance was markedly reduced, with an increase in stressed and reduction in unstressed blood volumes. At baseline but not after RRVP, L-arginine increased CO and reduced pulmonary vascular resistance. There were no significant changes in Pra, Ppcw, or total peripheral resistance. L-Arginine failed to alter total vascular compliance and capacitance or central blood volume in the baseline or failure state. These results do not support the hypothesis that increased Pmcf and reduced total vascular capacitance in the early stages of pacing-induced heart failure are caused by reduced substrate availability for or an endogenous competitive antagonist of NO synthase in venous endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology Service, Toronto Hospital (Western Division), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Ogilvie
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zborowska-Sluis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D006323:Heart Arrest; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D018924:Vascular Capacitance / Q000187:drug effects; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine