Role of the β-adrenergic receptor kinase in myocardial dysfunction after brain death

Induction of brain death leads to significant left ventricular dysfunction in this porcine model. Cardiac β-adrenergic receptors are clearly uncoupled after brain death, and our data suggest that the mechanism is acute increase of myocardial β-adrenergic receptor kinase activity, leading to β-adrenergic receptor desensitization and ventricular dysfunction.