LEFT INTRAVENTRICULAR PRESSURE GRADIENT UPON CARDIAC STIMULATION IN THORACOTOMIZED HEMORRHAGED RATS
Pressures were recorded in thoracotomized rats at the ascending aorta and at various sites of the left ventricle. After induction of an acute hemorrhage, injection of norepinephrine elicited the appearance of a large late-systolic pressure gradient between the left ventricular main chamber and ascending aorta, but not between the outflow tract and ascending aorta. Restoration of the initial blood volume abolished any significant pressure gradient in response to nor-epinephrine.The systematic appearance of an intraventricular pressure gradient in these anatomically normal hearts required the simultaneous presence of two experimental conditions: (a) a reduced blood volume as a predisposing factor; (b) a stimulation of the cardiac force of contraction in the presence of a relatively-lower aortic resistance as a triggering factor.