Pimobendan improves right ventricular myocardial contraction and attenuates pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of pimobendan treatment for pulmonary hypertension (PH) in rats administered monocrotaline (MCT). METHODS: Fifty-four 12-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with monocrotaline or saline solution. Serial echocardiography and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) measurement via a cardiac catheter were performed. After injection of MCT, rats received oral pimobendan (MCT/pimobendan group) or no treatment (MCT group) until undergoing echocardiography and cardiac catheter insertion. RESULTS: Right ventricular systolic pressure in the MCT/pimobendan group was lower than that in the MCT group at 6 weeks. Right ventricle free wall (RVFW) myocardial systolic velocity (Sm) in the MCT group showed a reduction compared with the saline group at 2 weeks. RVFW Sm in the MCT/pimobendan group was preserved as compared with the saline group at 2 weeks. RVFW Tei index in the MCT/pimobendan group showed a reduction compared with the saline group and the MCT group at 2 weeks. Echocardiography in the MCT/pimobendan group showed improvement compared with MCT rats. CONCLUSIONS: Both a reduction in RVSP and improvement in myocardial contraction were demonstrated with administration of pimobendan in rats with PH induced by MCT. Echocardiography evaluation of systolic function seems to be useful for monitoring excess administration of pimobendan.

Evaluation of changes in left ventricular myocardial function observed in canine myocardial dysfunction model using a two-dimensional tissue tracking technique.

This study was conducted to assess the ability of two-dimensional tissue tracking (2DTT) to evaluate changes in left ventricular (LV) myocardial function associated with sustained high electrical pacing. Pacemakers were implanted at the right ventricular (RV) apex of five female Beagles, and sustained high electrical pacing of 250 beats per minute (bpm) was performed for three consecutive weeks. Conventional echocardiography and 2DTT were performed at baseline, and at every week for three weeks with pacing. The baseline parameters were then compared to those of weeks 1, 2, and 3. Three weeks of pacing resulted in significant reduction of radial and circumferential global strains (p < 0.001). Regional analysis revealed reduction of segmental strains in both radial and circumferential directions, as well as increased dyssynchrony after three weeks of pacing in the radial direction (p = 0.0007). The results of this study revealed the ability of 2DTT to measure radial and circumferential strains in dogs with sustained high-electrical pacing, and allowed assessment of global and regional myocardial function and the degree of dyssynchrony.

Extreme tetralogy of Fallot in a dog.

A four-month-old female Labrador retriever was brought to the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Animal Medical Center for examination of its main symptoms of cough, tachypnea and exercise intolerance. Upon examination, the dog was found to have cyanosis and inadequate growth. Echocardiography revealed tetralogy of Fallot. Cardiac catheterization confirmed that the main pulmonary artery was completely occluded and that blood flowed from the aorta to the pulmonary artery. Accordingly, the animal was diagnosed with extreme tetralogy of Fallot.