Myocardial fibrosis is considered a substrate for fatal ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). In rats receiving aldosterone/salt treatment (ALDOST) for ≥4 weeks, foci of myocardial scarring that replace necrotic cardiomyocytes appear scattered throughout the right and left sides of the heart. We hypothesized that this adverse structural remodeling would promote the inducibility of VA, which could be prevented by cotreatment with spironolactone (A+Spiro), an aldosterone receptor antagonist and cardioprotective agent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF