The accuracy of two-dimensional echocardiographic left ventricular volume measurement in an isolated heart preparation was tested using Simpson's reconstruction of progressively fewer short-axis cross sections of known location. Echocardiographic images from five ejecting hearts submerged in a special tank were obtained under conditions designed for maximal accuracy of echocardiographic volume ...

Introduction: Endorphins are produced by cardiomyocytes, and exert different effects on the heart. The aim of the present study is to assess morphine effects on extracellular atrioventricular (AV) node field potential pattern and ventricular rhythm of isolated rabbit heart during experimental atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Effects of different concentrations of morphine (10, 20, 50 and 1...

The importance of atrial systole in cardiac physiology was first recognized by William Harvey in 1628: “ ... and if at this time with its auricle alone beating you cut off the apex of the heart with a pair of scissors, you will see the blood flow out of the wound with each beat of the auricle. You will thus realise that the blood gets into the ventricles not through any pull exerted by the dist...

In the current study, effects of acute short term administration of fructose on cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial infarction size following ischemia/reperfusion were investigated in isolated rat heart. The hearts were subjected to 30 min zero flow global ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion. In the control group, the hearts were perfused by normal drug free Krebs-Henseleit (K/H) solution t...

Aging is often associated with increased systolic blood pressure and decreased diastolic blood pressure. Isolated systolic hypertension or an elevated systolic blood pressure without an elevated diastolic blood pressure is a known risk factor for incident heart failure in older adults. In the current study, we examined whether isolated diastolic hypotension, defined as a diastolic blood pressur...