Which of the following is NOT a physiological effect of an intra-aortic balloon pump?

The correct choice highlights that increased pulmonary artery pressure is not a physiological effect of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). The IABP is primarily used to improve cardiac output and perfusion in patients with various forms of heart failure, particularly in the setting of cardiogenic shock or myocardial ischemia.

When an IABP is inflated during diastole, it causes an increase in coronary artery perfusion by augmenting blood flow to the heart muscle. This inflation occurs simultaneously with the heart’s diastolic phase, allowing more blood to fill the coronary arteries, thus increasing coronary flow.

Additionally, during systole, when the balloon deflates, there is a decrease in both preload and afterload. Preload is reduced because the volume returning to the heart is less, while afterload decreases since the deflation creates a lower resistance for the heart to pump against. This reduction in resistance allows the heart to pump more efficiently.

Furthermore, the decrease in preload and afterload contributes to a reduction in wall tension of the heart. Wall tension is influenced by the left ventricular volume and pressure during systolic contraction; thus, all elements combined contribute to easing the workload on the heart.

In contrast, IABP typically does not lead to