Persistence of Contractile Behaviour in Acutely Ischaemic Myocardium

Experiments were performed in pigs and dogs which showed that myocardium rendered acutely ischaemic by occluding the left anterior descending coronary artery nonetheless maintained contractile behaviour. The ischaemic myocardium responded to both positive and negative inotropic agents, and, despite aneurysmal dilatation during systole, was less distensible than at necropsy. These effects could be quantitated by application of force-velocity relationships.