Effect of dobutamine on skeletal muscle metabolism in patients with congestive heart failure

Donna M. Mancini, Mitchell Schwartz, Nancy Ferraro, Richard Seestedt, Britton Chance, John R. Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dobutamine is known to increase leg blood flow during exercise in patients with heart failure. However, it is uncertain whether the increased flow is delivered to working skeletal muscle. In 7 patients with heart failure, the effects of dobutamine were examined on calf phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) spectra and femoral vein blood flow during rest and upright plantar flexion. During upright plantar flexion every 3 seconds, dobutamine increased femoral venous blood flow (control 1.7 ± 0.1; dobutamine 2.1 ± 1.0 liters/min; p < 0.05) and increased femoral venous O2 saturation (control 24 ± 5%; dobutamine 31 ± 2%; p < 0.05), indicating improved total leg blood flow. However, dobutamine did not change the slope of the relation between systemic V̇O2 and the calf inorganic phosphate to phosphocreatine relation (control 0.0054 ± 0.0039; dobutamine 0.0056 ± 0.0032; difference not significant) and did not change muscle pH, suggesting no improvement in blood flow to active skeletal muscle. These findings suggest that dobutamine does not improve oxygen delivery to working skeletal muscle in patients with heart failure, despite its ability to increase cardiac output and limb blood flow.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1121-1126
Number of pages6
JournalAmerican Journal of Cardiology
Volume65
Issue number16
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 1990
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Effect of dobutamine on skeletal muscle metabolism in patients with congestive heart failure'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this