title: Slowed progression or elimination of atherosclerosis by low-frequency electrical impulses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In our previous investigations we showed that electrical impulses (EI) can prevent the development of atherosclerosis if they began simultaneously with high cholesterol diet (HCD) or in the early stages of atherosclerosis (after three weeks of HCD only). In this investigation we demonstrated the slow progression or elimination of atherosclerosis by low-frequency EI in case of moderate atherosclerosis (after eight weeks of HCD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Series I rabbits (control group) were fed HCD for eight weeks. Series II rabbits were fed HCD for eight weeks and were then switched to normal diet for eight weeks (no EI). Series III rabbits were fed HCD for eight weeks and then switched to a normal diet with simultaneous EI (applied near the abdominal aorta) for eight weeks (3 V, 30 single impulses per minute, 24 hours/day). After euthanization, the level of atherosclerosis, percentage of surface area involved in the atherosclerosis process, and an atherosclerosis score were calculated in the aortic arch, thoracic and abdominal aorta.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences were seen in the level of atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta between series III animals (0.4 +/- 0.2) and the other two groups: 1.5 +/- 0.4 in series I (HCD only), 1.2 +/- 0.3 in series II (HCD then normal diet). Gross examination of the surface also revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the percentage of atherosclerosis between the control series I (30.1 +/- 4.1%) and series II (21.3 +/- 3.6%), compared with series III (5.5 +/- 5.4%). In addition, the atherosclerosis score was also significantly different: 45.8 +/- 3.9 in series I, 25.2 +/- 6.9 in series II, and 2.2 +/- 2.0 in series III (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that, when applied near the abdominal aorta, low-frequency electrical impulses decrease atherosclerotic deposition in the abdominal aorta.
authors.affiliation: Milwaukee Heart Institute, Heart Care Associates at Sinai Samaritan Medical Center/St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0342, USA. ahcvch@execpc.com
authors.forename: Valeri
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chekanov
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mortada
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maternowski
authors.forename: Guennady
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tchekanov
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eisenstein
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krum
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akhtar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D002784:Cholesterol