Phasic coronary blood flow patterns in dogs vs. pigs: An acute ischemic heart study

Background: Canine and porcine hearts have been widely used to investigate diagnoses, interventions, and surgical therapies for ischemic heart disease. Dogs and pigs are known to vary with regard to the anatomic distribution of their coronary arteries. However, the mechanisms of these differences and the differing phasic coronary blood flow patterns between the two species are not well characterized. Material/Methods: Phasic coronary blood flow patterns and hemodynamic data were analyzed using three flow probes placed around the left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), and right coronary (RCA) arteries in both canine and porcine models. Results: Systolic left ventricular pressure, arterial pressure, and systemic vascular resistance in dogs were higher than in pigs. Likewise, total coronary blood flow, LAD flow, and LCX flow were higher in dogs than in pigs. LCX flow was higher in dogs, but RCA flow was higher in pigs. Diastolic fraction and diastolic/systolic peak velocity ratio of the LAD, LCX, and RCA showed no significant differences at baseline between dogs and pigs. Systolic LAD flow in dogs decreased after the creation of an LAD stenosis, whereas systolic LAD flow in pigs increased. Conclusions: Coronary blood flow patterns in dogs and pigs are quite different. These findings are potentially relevant to understanding the physiology of myocardial blood perfusion in dogs and pigs with ischemic heart disease.