Figure 10.

Representative pressure-volume loops, end-systolic pressure-volume relationship (straight blue line), and end-diastolic pressure-volume relationship (dashed exponential blue line) in an endotoxemic calf. Caudal vena-caval occlusion was used to decrease preload while left ventricular (LV) pressure and volume were recorded. The left panel is before endotoxin was administered. The right panel is 1 h after start of endotoxin administration. Note that the administration of endotoxin markedly decreased end-systolic pressure and increased End-systolic elastance (Ees; the gold standard index of cardiac contractility), decreased stroke volume and end-diastolic volume, slightly increased LV diastolic stiffness, and increased heart rate (not shown). The figure indicates that systemic arterial hypotension is the dominant cardiovascular derangement in acute endotoxemia. Reproduced with permission from: Constable (89).