Interaction between renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems in a rat model of pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy.

1 A raised cardiac workload activates neurohormones which will increase muscle mass and shift contractility to the right along the Frank-Starling curve. 2 This study examined the interaction between the SNS and RAS in contributing to vascular responsiveness following the development of cardiac hypertrophy due to aortic banding. 3 Sprague Dawley rats (180-200 g) were assigned to one of six groups; Normal, Sham-operated, Aortic Banded (AB), Aortic Banded treated with losartan (ABLOS), Aortic Banded treated with 6-hydroxydopamine (ABSYMP) and Aortic banded treated with both losartan and 6-hydroxydopamine (ABSYMPLOS).