The Effect of Dilevalol on Cardiac Autonomic Neural Discharge, Plasma Catecholamines, and Myocardial Beta Receptor Density Associated with Coronary Occlusion

Cats anesthetized with alpha chloralose received saline or dilevalol (1 mg/kg, IV) during a 10‐minute infusion. Fifteen minutes later, the left anterior descending coronary artery was subjected to coronary occlusion 2 mm below its origin. Regional differences in the beta receptor densities were found for the atria and ventricles and for the areas within the left ventricle in cats with no coronary occlusion and dilevalol or saline. The variation in beta receptor density distribution may be related to functional differences. Coronary occlusion and saline or dilevalol did not modify the myocardial beta receptor density regional distribution. Mean times to arrhythmia and death in five saline cats were 5.8 ± 3.6 (N = 3) and 5.4 (N = 2) minutes; three cats were killed 6 hours after coronary occlusion. In five dilevalol cats the times to arrhythmia and death were 2.3 ± 0.8 (N = 5) and 75.9 ± 70.7 (N = 4); 1 cat was killed. Dilevalol induced a significant decrease in blood pressure and heart rate prior to coronary occlusion. Coronary occlusion decreased blood pressure and heart rate in both groups. Twenty‐five minutes after dilevalol but prior to coronary occlusion, postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge decreased to 81%. In the minutes prior to arrhythmia, postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge was 95% and was significantly increased to 121% 3 minutes after coronary occlusion. The postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge values after coronary occlusion were similar to those in the saline cats. Dilevalol depressed postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge prior to coronary occlusion but did not prevent the nonuniform (i.e., increases, decreases, or no change) discharge in the postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge associated with coronary occlusion‐induced arrhythmia. Norepinephrine and epinephrine values in saline cats increased the first 5 minutes after coronary occlusion; this increase was associated with arrhythmia. Norepinephrine and epinephrine values from minute 15 to minute 360 did not differ from control. Dilevalol prevented the increase in norepinephrine and epinephrine levels associated with arrhythmia and death.