Direct Effect of High-dose Insulin on the Depressed Heart after Beta-blockade or Ischemia

The direct cardiac effects of high-dose insulin (HDI) were assessed in 13 canine hearts supported by cardiopulmonary bypass. Isovolumic peak developed pressure (PDP, mmHg), coronary blood flow (CBF, ml/beat/100 g LV) and myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2, ml O2/beat/100 g LV) were determined during incremental left ventricular balloon inflation before and after functional depression by beta-blockade (0.2 mg/kg propranolol) or 2 hours cardioplegic ischemia at 28 degrees C. The 2 regimens gave an overall functional reduction of 46 +/- 3% and 42 +/- 2%, respectively. The hearts were then challenged with an aortic root bolus of 1000 IU insulin. A glucose clamp was maintained at physiological levels. Insulin reversed the negative inotropic effect of propranolol to 80% of control function and normalized heart rate. Despite the significant amelioration of systolic function by HDI, MVO2 indexed for cardiac effort did not change. Neither systolic function nor heart rate was changed in the ischemically depressed hearts. In conclusion, HDI reverses the negative inotropic effect of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade without augmenting oxygen utilization. Apart from effects ascribable to systemic vasodilation and metabolic shifts, no direct cardiac inotropic stimulation can be expected on the post-ischemically depressed, nondiabetic myocardium unless there is a persistent negative effect of beta-blockers.