Effect of Changes in Ventricular Relaxation on Early Diastolic Coronary Blood Flow in Canine Hearts

Since the gradient between aortic pressure and left ventricular diastolic pressure is a major determinant of coronary blood flow, a change in left ventricular relaxation by its effect on early diastole could diminish early diastolic coronary flow. Two interventions that resulted in impaired left ventricular relaxation, hypothermia, and reperfusion following a left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion were studied to evaluate whether there were associated changes in coronary blood flow. With both interventions, there was a significant prolongation of left ventricular relaxation (p