PMID: 2478807Jan 1, 1989Paper

Effects of beta-adrenergic agents on systolic and diastolic myocardial function in patients with and without heart failure.

Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology
W S Colucci, J D Parker

Abstract

Cyclic AMP plays a central role in modulating systolic and diastolic myocardial function. Consequently, the adrenergic nervous system, acting through myocardial beta-adrenergic receptors, very likely plays a significant role in regulating left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. Theoretically, beta-adrenergic agonists and antagonists may further modify myocardial systolic and diastolic function. Although the effects of beta-adrenergic agents are clearly demonstrable in vitro, it has been more difficult to evaluate the direct myocardial effects of beta-adrenergic agents in patients. These difficulties are related both to technical aspects of the measurement of systolic and diastolic parameters and to the potentially confounding effects of secondary nonmyocardial drug actions and reflex-mediated changes in myocardial and/or vascular adrenergic activity. A number of strategies for evaluating the direct myocardial actions of beta-adrenergic agents are discussed. Two promising approaches are the use of direct intracoronary drug infusion and the analysis of left ventricular pressure-volume relationships. The positive inotropic action of beta-adrenergic agonists is substantially attenuated in many patients with left ventricul...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Adrenergic Receptors: Trafficking

Adrenergic receptor trafficking is an active physiological process where adrenergic receptors are relocated from one region of the cell to another or from one type of cell to another. Discover the latest research on adrenergic receptor trafficking here.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, that can lead to muscular or electrical dysfunction of the heart. It is often an irreversible disease that is associated with a poor prognosis. There are different causes and classifications of cardiomyopathies. Here are the latest discoveries pertaining to this disease.