Postextrasystolic compliance of the left ventricle.

The effects of a single premature contraction (PC) on left ventricular diastolic distensibility was studied in man, in the conscious chronically instrumented dog, and in the isolated (isovolumic) blood perfused dog heart. In the isolated dog heart at a constant volume, there was no difference in end-diastolic pressure when control diastolic pressure was compared to that following a PC. In man and conscious dogs, there was no difference between the overall pressure-volume or pressure-length plots when control diastolic data were compared to data from the diastole immediately following a PC (no change in the modulus of chamber stiffness). In the intact circulation of man dog, increased filling during the post PC pause causes the ventricle to operate higher on the steep (stiffer) portion of its pressure-volume or pressure-length curve (decrease in preload-dependent compliance). Thus, although a PC does not alter the modulus of chamber stiffness, a preload-dependent change in compliance may occur during post PC diastole.