Changes in systemic and regional hemodynamics in the acute period of myocardial infarction in conscious rabbits

: Systemic and regional hemodynamics (radioactive microspheres of 15 mcm) were studied in 7 conscious immobilized rabbits 30 min, 24 and 72 hours after left coronary artery occlusion (group 1) and 30 min and 24 hours after the occlusion in 5 rabbits who died the next day (group 2). Significant changes in myocardial blood flow, white cerebral matter and kidneys were only observed 24 h after coronary artery occlusion in group 2, simultaneously with a significant (29%) decrease in cardiac output. It is suggested that significant regional blood flow changes associated with acute experimental myocardial infarction only occurred in the presence of heart failure in rabbits.