Effects of intravenous verapamil on left ventricular systolic function and diastolic filling dynamics in patients with coronary artery disease: analysis of intramyocardial markers.

Left ventricular (LV) intramyocardial markers (MM) were used to study the effects of intravenous verapamil on LV pump function and diastolic filling dynamics. Verapamil (0.1 mg/kg bolus followed by 0.005 mg/kg/min) was administered to 10 patients with severe coronary artery disease 4 years after coronary bypass grafting and implantation of 7 tantalum markers into the LV. MM were filmed at 100 frames/sec (biplane 30 degrees RAO/60 degrees LAO). The digitized biplane MM coordinates were transformed into 3-dimensional coordinates and maximal projection area was defined. LV volumes were calculated frame-by-frame and ejection fraction and peak filling rate derived. Pressure-volume relations were calculated in early-, mid-, and end-diastole. Verapamil caused a slight rise in end-diastolic pressure (12 to 14 mmHg, p less than 0.001) and end-diastolic volume (142 to 152 ml; p less than 0.005) and a fall in max dP/dt (1732 to 1570 mmHg/s; p less than 0.01) reflecting the drug's negative inotropic action. Verapamil reduced LV systolic pressure (136 to 126 mmHg; p less than 0.01), diastolic aortic pressure (74 to 68 mmHg; p less than 0.001) and peripheral resistance (1496 to 1348 dynes.s.cm-5; p less than 0.025); cardiac index was increased (2.7 to 2.9 l/min/m2; p less than 0.05), as were ejection fraction (47 to 49%; p less than 0.02) and stroke volume (67 to 75 ml; p less than 0.001). Great cardiac vein flow increased as well (88 to 102 ml/min; p less than 0.005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)