Effects of bolus injection of epinephrine and norepinephrine on systolic time intervals in stress-resistant and stress-susceptible pigs.

Systolic time intervals were measured in 15 stress-susceptible (SS) pigs to derive regression equations to determine to what extent their ventricular functions differed from those of stress-resistant (SR) pigs. Regression analysis revealed that the RR interval was the variable that was significantly (P less than 0.01) related to electromechanical systole and left ventricular ejection time. The preejection period (PEP) was independent of the RR interval. A normal increase of all systolic time intervals with age, independent of the RR interval, was also observed in SR and SS pigs. The 55-kg SS pigs had a higher noradrenergic tone than did 15-kg and 90-kg SS pigs, because their mean arterial blood pressure was higher and because their index values for electromechanical systole and their PEP were shorter than those of SR pigs of the same body weights. The cardiovascular responses to biogenic amines were also different according to the degree of development and stress susceptibility. Changes in mean arterial pressure and PEP were not as pronounced after injections of epinephrine and norepinephrine (10(-8) mol/kg of body weight) were given. Subsequently, a decrease in cardiovascular responses to epinephrine and norepinephrine injections in 90-kg SS pigs were recorded. These results indicate that 55-kg SS pigs have a higher level of circulating catecholamines and that the myocardium becomes less sensitive to epinephrine and norepinephrine after it is chronically exposed to these amines.