Myocardial function in severe hypothermia.

GENERALIZED hypothermia, as employed in cardiac surgery,' involves a number of factors, some of which are of benefit, others detrimental to myocardial performance. For example, the decreased arterial pressure and the increased blood viscosity tend to reduce coronary blood flow. On the other hand, the reduced metabolic rate of heart muscle, the diminished cardiac work, and the lengthened time for unimpeded coronary inflow tend to benefit the myocardium.