The effect of isoproterenol on isolated muskrat and guinea pig hearts
Isoproterenol, a β-adrenergic agonist, was given by bolus injection to Langendorff-perfused muskrat and guinea pig hearts. Bolus content ranged from 18 to 29 200 pmol. The hearts responded by increasing left ventricular pressure, heart rate, and release of lactate. The drug threshold was similar for the hearts of the two species but the magnitude of the response differed both at threshold and at saturation doses. The increase in left ventricular pressure and heart rate was greater in guinea pig hearts compared with muskrat hearts. Lactate release was stimulated earlier and increased more in muskrat hearts compared with guinea pig hearts. The weak β-adrenergic stimulation of heart rate and left ventricular pressure in the muskrat may be of benefit when the animal dives to escape a potential predator. Under these conditions of fear, exercise, hypoxia, and diving there would be opposing effects of sympathetic versus vagal stimulation of the myocardium. The sympathetic effect would be to increase myocardial oxygen consumption while the vagal effect would be to reduce it. In the diving mammal the vagal effect predominates and this may be augmented by a blunted rate and pressure response to β-stimulation.