Effects of ergometrine (ergonovine) on the isolated atherosclerotic heart of the cholsterol-fed rabbit.

Ergometrine usually depresses the S-T segment as in coronary insufficiency, when injected intravenously in rabbits with experimental coronary atherosclerosis and in patients with effort angina, but not in normal animals and man. To explain this difference, we carried out Langendorff perfusion studies in 32 normal and 29 atherosclerotic isolated rabbit hearts. Preliminary tests with ergometrine were done to ensure that advanced coronary atherosclerosis had developed in the rabbits fed a cholesterol diet; pathological examination of the heart after perfusion confirmed the result of the final test with ergometrine.