Experimental right ventricular hypertrophy and failure in swine.

Following pulmonary arterial constriction, 22 pigs developed right ventricular failure and 10 right ventricular hypertrophy. Comparing results with those obtained in 21 normal pigs (no pulmonary artery constriction), it was found the right ventricular peak systolic and end-diastolic pressures, cardiac output, and right ventricular weight distinguished hypertrophied and failing hearts from normal ones. Cardiac output was lower in failing hearts than in hypertrophied hearts and was the only variable which significantly differentiated between these two groups. Left ventricular pressures and left ventricular and right ventricular dP/dtmax, and maximum [(dP/dt)/P] did not distinguish failing from hypertrophied hearts. Left ventricular pressure, maximum [(dP/dt)/P] and left ventricular and right ventricular dP/dtmax were not significantly different in the three groups.