Cardiac depression in bacteremia.

Hemodynamic and respiratory effects of a 5-hr IV infusion of Ps. aeruginosa at a dose of 10(8) organisms per ml per minute were studied in 6 dogs. Four dogs served as controls. Gramnegative bacteremia, with 70,000 +/- 1,800 organisms per ml of blood, caused a 50% reduction of cardiac output at three hrs. Peripheral vascular resistance increased significantly, but mean heart rate fell below control levels. Decline in mean systemic blood pressure from 150 +/- 5 mm Hg to 88 +/- 6 mm Hg was accompanied by a significant increase in pulmonary arterial wedge pressure with normal right atrial and pulmonary arterial pressures. Pulmonary vascular resistance also remained unchanged. With progression of the low output state and development of hypothermia, arteriovenous oxygen difference (A-V DO(2)) fell significantly. Despite a decline in functional residual capacity, venoarterial admixture diminished in the face of reduced pulmonary capillary perfusion, normal arterial Po(2) values, decline in body temperature and finally very narrow A-V DO(2). Histologically, ventricular myocardium revealed severe interstitial edema. It is concluded that myocardial dysfunction may occur early during gramnegative bacteremia, and formation of myocardial edema appears to be a significant contributing factor in myocardial failure.