This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Michael, L. H. Articles by Seidel, C. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Michael, L. H. Articles by Seidel, C. L. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Hazardous Substances DB HYDRALAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE

Hypertension, Vol 3, 356-361, Copyright © 1981 by American Heart Association

ARTICLES

Hydralazine: effect on contraction mechanics of WKY and SHR rat heart muscle

LH Michael and CL Seidel

Chronic hydralazine treatment (2 weeks) in 22-week-old normotensive (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) significantly lowered the systolic blood pressure in both groups. Left ventricular papillary muscles from nontreated and treated WKY and SHR were placed in an isometric myography, and contractile indices monitored. Nontreated WKY and SHR were not statistically different comparing: tension, maximum contraction and relaxation rates, time to maximum tension, total contraction time, or passive and active length-tension curves. Hydralazine-treated WKY and SHR had significantly reduced tension and maximum rates of tension development and relaxation; passive length- tension characteristics were not altered. Stressing the papillary muscles with increased frequency of electrical stimulation (0.1-2 Hz) did not differentiate the various groups. Significant (p less than 0.05) alteration with isoproterenol (10(-9)-10(-5) M) occurred with the hydralazine-treated WKY, which responded with a greater increase in relaxation rate than the hydralazine-treated SHR. It is suggested that the clinically very useful drug, hydralazine, causes a distinct contractile state alteration in rat myocardium after treatment sufficient to lower SHR blood pressure to a normal range.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. M. Wilson, D. S. De Silva, K. Sato, Y. Izumiya, and F. Sam Effects of Fixed-Dose Isosorbide Dinitrate/Hydralazine on Diastolic Function and Exercise Capacity in Hypertension-Induced Diastolic Heart Failure Hypertension, September 1, 2009; 54(3): 583 - 590. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]