Coronary and systemic hemodynamic effects of glucagon in the intact unanesthetized dog

Glucagon and Its Receptors in the Mammalian Heart

Glucagon exerts effects on the mammalian heart. These effects include alterations in the force of contraction, beating rate, and changes in the cardiac conduction system axis. The cardiac effects of glucagon vary according to species, region, age, and concomitant disease. Depending on the species and region studied, the contractile effects of glucagon can be robust, modest, or even absent. Glucagon is detected in the mammalian heart and might act with an autocrine or paracrine effect on the cardiac glucagon receptors. The glucagon levels in the blood and glucagon receptor levels in the heart can change with disease or simultaneous drug application. Glucagon might signal via the glucagon receptors but, albeit less potently, glucagon might also signal via glucagon-like-peptide-1-receptors (GLP1-receptors). Glucagon receptors signal in a species- and region-dependent fashion. Small molecules or antibodies act as antagonists to glucagon receptors, which may become an additional treatment option for diabetes mellitus. Hence, a novel review of the role of glucagon and the glucagon receptors in the mammalian heart, with an eye on the mouse and human heart, appears relevant. Mouse hearts are addressed here because they can be easily genetically modified to generate mice that may serve as models for better studying the human glucagon receptor.

Hemodynamic Effects of Glucagon: A Literature Review

CONTEXT

Glucagon's effects on hemodynamic parameters, most notably heart rate and cardiac contractility, are often overlooked. The glucagon receptor is a central target in novel and anticipated type 2 diabetes therapies, and hemodynamic consequences of glucagon signaling have therefore become increasingly important. In this review, we summarize and evaluate published studies on glucagon pharmacology with a focus on clinical hemodynamic effects in humans.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for clinical studies concerning hemodynamic effects of glucagon (no year restriction). Papers reporting effects of a defined glucagon dose on any hemodynamic parameter were included. Reference searches were conducted in retrieved articles.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Hemodynamic effects of glucagon have been investigated mainly in cohort studies of patients suffering from heart failure receiving large glucagon bolus injections. The identified studies had shortcomings related to restricted patient groups, lack of a control group, randomization, or blinding. We identified no properly conducted randomized clinical trials. The majority of human studies report stimulating effects of pharmacological glucagon doses on heart rate, cardiac contractility, and blood pressure. The effects were characterized by short duration, interindividual variation, and rapid desensitization. Some studies reported no measurable effects of glucagon.

CONCLUSIONS

The level of evidence regarding hemodynamic effects of glucagon is low, and observations in published studies are inconsistent. Actual effects, interindividual variation, dose-response relationships, and possible long-term effects of supraphysiological glucagon levels warrant further investigation.

Effects of glucagon on liver metabolism in intact dogs

Chloralose-anaesthesized dogs, starved for 24 hours, were used to determine the effects of 10 microgram/kg glucagon, administered i.v. as a single bolus injection, on liver substrates in situ (glycogen, glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, glucose, fructose-6-phosphate, fructose-1,6-diphosphate, triose phosphates, glycerol-3-phosphate, phosphoenolypyruvate, pyruvate, lactate, citrate, malate, ATP, ADP, and AMP). liver samples were obtained by instant deep-freezing with Wollenberger clamps on four consecutive occasions at 10-minute intervals. Heart rate and blood pressure were continuously monitored. Serial liver sampling per se had no significant effects on liver metabolism or systemic haemodynamics in a group of control animals. In a second group glucagon, administered after the initial freeze-clamp sampling to obtain baseline values, led to a marked activation of the glycogenolytic pathway resulting in glucose release from the liver.

Digitalis-induced increase in aortic regurgitation and the contrasting effect of glucagon in the sedated dog

The hemodynamic and phasic ascending aortic flow changes induced by acetylstrophanthidin and glucagon were studied in closed-chest sedated dogs with aortic regurgitation. While the positive inotropic effect of both agents was reflected in an increase in peak rate of rise of left ventricular pressure, acetylstrophanthidin increased aortic regurgitation, while glucagon decreased it. With the former, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure rose from 20+/-6 to 27+/-6 mm Hg (P < 0.005), but fell from 18+/-4 to 11+/-3 mm Hg (P < 0.001) with glucagon. Acetylstrophanthidin increased systemic vascular resistance, aortic diastolic pressure, and diastolic regurgitant flow rate, and, heart rate and the duration of regurgitation per beat and per minute being unchanged, regurgitant flow per beat increased 32+/-15% (P < 0.001). Glucagon decreased regurgitant flow per beat 27+/-14% (P < 0.001) because of abbreviation of diastole associated with tachycardia, and because of reduction in regurgitant flow rate. Despite tachycardia, the duration of regurgitation per minute was unchanged, and the small fall in regurgitant blood flow per minute was not significant, but this pertained in the face of 47% increase in effective cardiac output (P < 0.001). In contrast, acetylstrophanthidin increased regurgitant flow per minute 28+/-14% (P < 0.001) without change in effective cardiac output. The increase in cardiac contractility, tachycardia, and systemic vasodilatation induced by glucagon preferentially enhanced forward blood flow, which led to reduction in left ventricular volume overload, while it increased cardiac output. Contrarily, acetylstrophanthidin increased aortic regurgitation and, despite its inotropic effect, increased left ventricular volume overload without an increase in cardiac output.

Anaesthetic, cardiovascular and respiratory effects of a new steroidal agent CT 1341: a comparison with other intravenous anaesthetic drugs in the unrestrained cat

1. The anaesthetic, cardiovascular, respiratory and adverse effects produced by the intravenous injection of CT 1341, thiopentone, methohexitone, pentobarbitone, propanidid and ketamine have been compared in unrestrained cats prepared with chronically implanted venous and arterial cannulae. Aortic blood pressure and heart rates were monitored before, during and after loss of consciousness.2. CT 1341 produced rapid induction of anaesthesia followed by moderately rapid recovery, was active over a wide range of doses and caused minimal respiratory depression and few adverse effects. It caused an initial short-lasting tachycardia and fall in aortic blood pressure succeeded by a secondary depressor response.3. The safety margin was narrower with the barbiturate drugs than with CT 1341, and large doses induced apnoea and respiratory depression. Small doses of methohexitone elicited excitatory effects and large doses caused severe respiratory and circulatory depression, and recovery from anaesthesia was protracted.4. Propanidid induced short-lasting light anaesthesia. The safety margin was narrowest with this drug and induction was associated with adverse circulatory, respiratory and other effects.5. Ketamine was active over a wide range of doses but exhibited qualitatively different properties from the other anaesthetics. Induction was slower after small doses and these produced circulatory stimulation, catatonia and bizarre behavioural effects. Large doses caused respiratory and circulatory depression and recovery was protracted.6. It is concluded that CT 1341 has a wider therapeutic latitude, produces less respiratory depression and has other advantages over the currently used intravenous anaesthetics.