Disparate effects of early pressure overload hypertrophy on velocity-dependent and force-dependent indices of ventricular performance in the conscious baboon

Background The effects of early pressure overload on left ventricular (LV) chamber mechanics in the primate heart are poorly understood. Methods and Results To test the hypothesis that early LV pressure overload hypertrophy is associated with depression of velocity-dependent indices of LV systolic (LV dP/dt) and diastolic function (time constant of relaxation, tau) but unchanged systolic elastance (E es ), we studied six conscious baboons instrumented with LV micromanometers and LV dimension and wall thickness sonomicrometers. Loading conditions were altered by pharmacological angiotensin II generation both before and 12 weeks after producing renovascular hypertension (2 kidney, 1 clip). The LV systolic pressure (149±11 [SD] versus 114±5 mm Hg) and LV mass (125±25 versus 91±20 g) were greater 12 weeks after than before (both P es and E es normalized for LV mass were similar before versus 12 weeks after (23.0±9.6 versus 22.3±9.8 mm Hg/mL and 26.5±14.5 versus 19.8±12.5 mm Hg/mL, respectively; both P =NS). At matched LV systolic and diastolic pressures, LV fractional shortening was similar (18.6±6.8% versus 21.6±4.9%), but the time constant of LV isovolumic relaxation was significantly longer (42.3±5.3 versus 31.4±7.0 ms, P cf were significantly less (1891±352 versus 2342±284 mm Hg/s and 0.9±0.4 versus 1.1±0.3 circ/s, respectively; both P Conclusions In conscious baboons with systemic arterial hypertension and early LV hypertrophy, there is depression of velocity-dependent indices of LV contraction and relaxation but unaltered force-dependent measures of contractility.