Effects Of Sertraline On Left Ventricular Remodeling And Myocardial Electrophysiology In Rabbits With Congestive Heart Failure

Objectives: To investigate the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sertraline on left ventricular remodeling and ventricular electrophysiology in rabbits with congestive heart failure(CHF).Methods: 55 New Zealand rabbits were divided into three groups based on their fractional shortening(FS), weight and gender. They are normal control group(N group), congestive heart failure group(H group) and congestive heart failure + sertraline group(HS group). Adriamycin was administered at a dose of lmg/kg intravenously twice a week for 8 weeks in 44 rabbits to make CHF models, then there were two weeks after cessation of adriamycin. After that, HS groups were treated with sertraline with a dose of 10mg/kg orally once a day for 4 weeks. The rabbits were anaesthetized with pentobarbital natrium, then they were intubated and ventilated with a respirator. A sternotomy was performed, and a longitudinal incision was made on the pericardium. The heart was supported in a pericardial cradle. LVSP and LVEDP were recorded. The effective refractory period(ERP) of right ventricular base, right ventricular apex, left ventricular base and leftventricular apex, the action potential duration at 90% repolarization (APD90) of endocardium, midmyocardium. and epicardium for measurement of the transmural dispersion of repolarzation(TDR), and the ventricular fibrillation threshold(VFT) were recorded respectively.Results: Compared with N group, there were significant decreased FS, decreased LVSP, increased LVEDP, prolonged ERP, increased dispersion of ERP, prolonged APD90, increased TDR and decreased VFT in H group and HS group (P<0.05) .There were no significant differences in FS, LVSP, LVEDP, ERP, dispersion of ERP, APD90, TDR and VFT within H group and HS group (f>0.05). Terminal LVDs was increased in H group (P<0.05) , but there was no significant difference in LVDs within HS group and N group(P>0.05).Conclusions: Sertraline could decrease LVDs and had no negative effects on left ventricular remodeling and myocardial electrophysiology in rabbits with CHF. Sertraline didn't increase the vulnerability of ventricular arrhythmia in rabbits with CHF.