title: Propranolol diminishes cardiac hypertrophy but does not abolish acceleration of the ischemic contracture in hyperthyroid hearts.
abstract: This study was undertaken to define the contributions of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and increased adrenergic activity to the acceleration of ischemic contracture (IC) that occurs in chronic hyperthyroid rat heart. Acute and chronic hyperthyroidism (THYR) were induced by thyroxine administration for 2 and 14 days, respectively, and normal animals (NORM) served as controls. Isolated hearts were perfused in a Langendorff mode. NORM alpha acute, n = 6; THYR alpha acute, n = 8; and THYR alpha, n = 13; and NORM alpha, n = 13 were subjected to 20-min zero-flow global ischemia (I) and 45-min reperfusion (R). Additional THYR and NORM hearts treated with propranolol (prop) were subjected to 30-min I; THYR beta prop, n = 6 and NORM beta prop, n = 8, and THYR beta, n = 6, NORM beta, n = 8 served as controls. Acceleration of IC was measured by the time to peak contracture (Tmax). Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was assessed by the ratio of left ventricular weight in milligrams (LVW) to animal body weight (BW) in grams. Cardiac hypertrophy developed in chronic but not acute hyperthyroidism. Propranolol reduced the extent of LVH. Contracture occurred earlier in chronic than in acute hyperthyroid and normal hearts. Propranolol did not alter contracture. In conclusion, IC is accelerated by thyroxine administration, and this is probably not due to LVH or increased beta-adrenergic activity. Propranolol diminishes LVH in hyperthyroidism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Athens, Goudi, Greece.
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Pantos
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Mourouzis
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tzeis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Malliopoulou
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Cokkinos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Asimacopoulos
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Carageorgiou
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Varonos
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Cokkinos
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D006003:Glycogen; D011433:Propranolol