Effects of halothane, sevoflurane and desflurane on the force-frequency relation in the dog heart in vivo.

Abstract

Frequency potentiation is the increase in force of contraction induced by an increased heart rate (HR). This positive staircase phenomenon has been attributed to changes in Ca2+ entry and loading of intracellular Ca2+ stores. Volatile anesthetics interfere with Ca2+ homeostasis of cardiomyocytes. We hypothesized that frequency potentiation is altered by volatile anesthetics and investigated the influence of halothane (H), sevoflurane (S) and desflurane (D) on the positive staircase phenomenon in dogsin vivo. Dogs were chronically instrumented for measurement of left ventricular (LV) pressure and cardiac output. Heart rate was increased by atrial pacing from 120 to 220 beats·min-1 and the LV maximal rate of pressure increase (dP/ dtmax) was determined as an index of myocardial performance. Measurements were performed in conscious dogs and during anesthesia with 1.0 minimal alveolar concentrations of each of the three inhaled anesthetics. Increasing HR from 120 to 220 beats·min-1 increased dP/dtmax from 3394 ± 786 (mean ± SD) to 3798 ± 810 mmHg sec-1 in conscious dogs. All anesthetics reduced dP/dtmax during baseline (at 120 beatss·min-1: H, 1745 ± 340 mmHgs·sec-1; S, 1882 ± 418; D, 1928 ± 454, allP < 0.05vs awake) but did not influence the frequency potentiation of dP/dtmax (at 220 beatss·min-1: H, 1981 ± 587 mmHgs·sec-1; S, 2187 ± 787; D, 2307 ± 691). The slope of the regression line correlating dP/dtmax and HR was not different between awake and anesetized dogs. Increasing HR did not influence cardiac output in awake or anesthetized dogs. These results indicate that volatile anesthetics do not alter the force-frequency relation in dogs in vivo.