Gram-negative bacteremia produces both severe systolic and diastolic cardiac dysfunction in a canine model that simulates human septic shock.

10 conscious unsedated dogs

Implantation of an Escherichia coli-infected clot into the peritoneum to induce bacteremia and septic shock

Controls (uninfected dogs)

Systolic ventricular performance (measured by ejection fraction, shifts in the Starling ventricular function curve, and response to volume infusion) and diastolic volume/pressure relationshipsurrogate