Effects of Long-term Ramipril on Ventricular Remodeling,Cardiac Function and Survival in Rat Congestive Heart Failure after Myocardial Infarction

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term ramipril on ventricular remodeling, cardiac function and survival in rat congestive heart failure after my- ocardial infarction. Methods Myocardial infarction (MI) was caused by ligation of the left anterior de- scending coronary artery in rats. 7 days after the surgery, the surviving rats were randomly assigned to the following treatment protocols: 1) MI ras with no therapy, 2) MI rats treated with ramipril 3 mg/kg per day, 3) Sham-operated control rats, and 4) Sham-op- erated rats treated with ramipril 3 mg/kg per day. At 22 weeks, cardiac hemodynamic parameters such as MAP, LVSP, ±dP/dtmax and LVEDP were measured, and cardiac morphometric parameters such as HW, LVW and LVCA were measured, mRNA of cardiac molecule genes, such as βMHC, BNP, collagen Ⅰ and Ⅲ, and TGF-β_1, were quantified, and survival rates were calculated. Results Compared with sham-oper ated rats, MI rats without therapy showed significant increases in cardiac morphological parameters as well as in mRAN expressions of cardiac molecule genes (P0.01); while their hemodynamic parameters were significantly impaired (P0.01), and survival rate shortened (P0.05). Compared with MI rats with no therapy, MI rats treated with ramipril showed signifi- cant attenuation of mRAN expressions of cardiac molecule genes (P0.01); while their hemodynamic parameters were significantly improved (P0.05 or P 0.01), and survival rates prolonged (P0.05). Con- clusions Treatment with long-term ramipril may im- prove LV remodeling, cardiac function and survival in rat congestive heart failure after MI.