title: Epinephrine and left atrial and left ventricular diastolic function decrease in normal subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We assessed the effect of epinephrine over left atrial and left ventricular diastolic function in subjects without structural heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven, 34.6±17.2year-old patients without structural heart disease were included. Intravenous epinephrine (50 to 100ng/kg/min) was infused. Left atrial and ventricular functions were evaluated by means of echocardiography before and during the epinephrine infusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No complications were observed. Significant increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure were recorded. Both left atrial (minimal and maximal) volumes increased but increase in the minimal volume was more pronounced, and the ejection fraction diminished. Left atrial expansion index decreased and the fraction of left ventricular inflow volume resulting from atrial contraction increased. Two patients displayed abnormal left ventricular diastolic function. During epinephrine infusion, E/A and e' decreased, and isovolumetric relaxation time increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this group of young adults without structural heart disease, epinephrine infusion was safe, did not produce any complications, and induced a small but significant decrease in left atrial function and left ventricular diastolic function.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Institute "Abdel M. Fuenmayor P", University Hospital of The Andes, Mérida, Venezuela. Electronic address: ajf@cantv.net.
authors.forename: Abdel J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fuenmayor
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Institute "Abdel M. Fuenmayor P", University Hospital of The Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Moisés I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Solórzano
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Institute "Abdel M. Fuenmayor P", University Hospital of The Andes, Mérida, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Luisangelly
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gómez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003971:Diastole / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D004837:Epinephrine
keywords: Atrial function; Diastolic function; Echocardiography; Epinephrine; Left; Ventricular function