Hyperlipidemia with Hypoglycemia Reduces Myocardial Oxygen Utilization Efficiency but not Contractile Function During Coronary Hypoperfusion

This study was designed to determine changes in myocardial contractile function and fuel selection during moderate coronary hypoperfusion in the presence of elevated plasma free fatty acid (FFA) at normal and reduced blood glucose concentrations. Coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) was sequentially lowered from 100 to 60, 50, and 40 mmHg in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) of anesthetized, open-chest dogs. Regional glucose uptake (GU), fatty acid uptake (FAU), percentage segment shortening (%SS), and oxygen consumption (MV 2) were determined with normal arterial plasma FFA concentrations (Group 1) or with elevated FFA concentrations (Groups 2 and 3). In Group 3, glucose in the coronary perfusate blood was reduced from 3.53±0.36 to 0.15±0.03 m by hemodialysis. In Group 1, FAU fell by 85% as CPP was lowered to 60 mmHg and remained depressed as CPP was reduced further; GU did not fall significantly. Hyperlipidemia in Group 2 did not alter GU at any CPP, but maintained FAU at baseline levels until CPP was lowered to 40 mmHg. At 40 mmHg CPP, myocardial function and metabolic variables were similar in Groups 1 and 2. In Group 3 at 40 mmHg, FAU increased four-fold and MV 2doubled v Groups 1 and 2, and GU fell to zero. Despite these metabolic changes, %SS in Group 3 was unchanged relative to Group 2. Addition of glucose to the dialysate prevented the effects of dialysis on FAU, GU, and MV 2. Thus, preferential glucose oxidation sustains myocardial oxygen utilization efficiency [(heart rate × %SS × maximum left ventricular pressure)/MV 2] during hypoperfusion. Blocking preferential glucose oxidation by combined hyperlipidemia and hypoglycemia lowers oxygen utilization efficiency, but does not compromise myocardial contractile function.