Deleterious influence of hypothyroidism on evolving myocardial infarction in conscious dogs.

To study the influence of hypometabolism on evolving myocardial infarction in a model with intact autoregulation, we investigated 53 awake dogs after coronary artery occlusion. Severe hypothyroidism was induced by the intravenous administration of 131I. Animals were instrumented to obtain hemodynamic measurements, and regional myocardial blood flow was measured with radioactive microspheres. Infarct size was determined by the creatine kinase depletion method, and dysrhythmia analysis was performed from 24-h Holter monitor tapes in animals matched for infarct size. The microarchitecture of hypothyroid myocardium was determined by the electron microscope. Before coronary occlusion, mean systemic pressure in hypothyroid dogs was reduced by 14% and cardiac output reduced by 32%, with no change in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, first derivative of left ventricular pressure rise, (dP/dt), or heart rate. After coronary occlusion, there was deterioration in hemodynamic measurements in both groups, with lower absolute levels of mean systemic blood pressure and cardiac output obtained in hypothyroid dogs. Hypothyroidism was detrimental to evolving infarction with a 36% increase in infarct size present in hypothyroid dogs (30 +/- 2%) compared to euthyroid controls (22 +/- 3%), P less than 0.05. Dysrhythmias were more severe in hypothyroid dogs. There were no changes in the relationship between regional myocardial blood flow and the extent of infarction after coronary occlusion. Abnormalities in microarchitecture were present in hypothyroid dog myocardium. Severe hypometabolism in this model was associated with alterations in hemodynamics, more severe dysrhythmias and changes in microarchitecture. The combined effect of these alterations resulted in an overall detrimental influence of hypothyroidism on evolving myocardial necrosis in this model.