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Progression of heart failure after myocardial infarction in the conscious rat
Author(s) -
Barrett Carolyn J,
Pyner Susan,
Malpas Simon C,
Guild Sarah-Jane
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.703.20
Subject(s) - cardiology , myocardial infarction , heart failure , medicine , ligation , heart rate , blood pressure , sympathetic nervous system , infarction
The rat model of heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI), induced by coronary ligation, is commonly utilized in the study of heart failure. Typically animals are studied at one time point, with the progression of the changes in both ventricular function and regulation of the sympathetic system poorly understood. The aim of this study was to characterize the time course of the changes in left ventricular function and sympathetic activation following MI in the rat. In separate groups of animals left ventricular pressure and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) were measured continuously via telemetry both before and following MI or sham surgery. Despite echocardiography showing fractional shortening had halved, left ventricular pressures were initially well conserved, with the most obvious change 3 weeks post MI being a decrease in the maximum rate of pressure change (dP/dt max) at night. At the same time period RSNA had increased by more than 100% and neuronal excitation was observed within the PVN, as determined by Fra‐protein expression. In contrast similar levels of nNOS positive cells were observed in PVN of the sham and MI rats. These experiments suggest sympathetic activation occurs early in the progression of heart failure, independent of changes in nNOS regulation in the PVN. Funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand and British Heart Foundation.