Abstract
Myocardial hypertrophy (MH) is usually considered the result of increased afterload in the hypertensive patient. However, we found MH in the prehypertensive stage of the disease (prior to 3 wks of age) and in older spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) (4-24 wks old) when hypertension was prevented by treatment during the first week of life with nerve growth factor antiserum (NGFAS). Left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) to body weight (BW) ratios were significantly elevated in SHR compared to those of normotensive Kyoto-Wistar rats (WKY) at 1d and 2 wks of age. (LV: 1d-3.11±0.09 and 2 wks-3.62±0.13 vs 2.76±0.09 and 2.95±0.07, p < 0.05 and < 0.001; RV: 1d-1.18±0.06 and 2 wks-1.0±0.006 vs 0.94±0.06 and 0.74±0.03, p < 0.005). Systolic blood pressure in NGFAS treated SHR remained normal up to 6 mos of age when compared to untreated SHR, 129±13 vs 190±9 mmHg, p < 0.001. (WKY BP=107±4). Despite the normal BP, LV/BW ratios in NGFAS treated SHR were elevated compared to WKY, 2.6±0.06 vs 2.14±0.05, p < 0.001. Various parameters of ventricular performances (cardiac index, peak flow velocity and flow acceleration) were decreased in both treated and untreated SHR compared to WKY. These data suggest that myocardial hypertrophy in SHR is independent of increased afterload and may reflect an underlying myocardial abnormality in familial hypertension.
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Cutilletta, A., Culpepper, W., Benjamin, M. et al. CARDIAC HYPERTROPHY IN YOUNG SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS BEFORE THE ONSET OF HYPERTENSION. Pediatr Res 11, 388 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00111
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00111