Body weight loss after myocardial infarction in rats as a marker of early heart failure development.

Background And Aims: We evaluated the use of body weight (BW) loss soon after acute myocardial infarction (MI) in rats as a marker of acute heart failure (HF).

Methods: Female Wistar rats (200-240 g) were submitted either to sham operation or to coronary artery occlusion. In individual cages, daily BW and food and water intake were measured.

Influence of ovariectomy in the right ventricular contractility in heart failure rats.

Background: Clinical studies in postmenopausal women suggest that female hormones play an important role in maintaining healthy cardiovascular conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of ovarian hormones in the right ventricle contractility in heart failure (HF) rats following myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: healthy ovariectomized (OVX), ovariectomized with HF (OVX-HF), HF, and sham operated (SHAM).

Differences in tail vascular bed reactivity in rats with and without heart failure following myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced in rats by coronary ligation to compare changes in vascular reactivity from animals that developed heart failure (InfHF) with those that did not (Inf). Infarct size was similar in both groups. In vitro preparations of tail vascular bed were used to investigate the vascular responses to acetylcholine, sodium nitroprusside, and phenylephrine.