Simvastatin Attenuates Myocardial Remodeling In Rats Induced By Pressure Overload

Objectives: The aim of the study was to observe the influence of simvastatin on ventricular hypertrophy and myocardiac structure in rats with pressure-overload and to discuss the effects of statins on ventricul remodeling.Background: Currently, 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, so-called statins, exert various pleiotropic effects on multiple targets, which are independent of their plasma cholesterol lowering preperties.Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats(n=32) were randomly allocated into two groups : (1) sham-operated(n=8); (2) abdominal aortic banding (n=24). Cardiac hypertrophy(CH) was induced by suprarenal abdominal aorta constriction. 24 rats were anesthetized intraperitoneal, a midline abdominal incision was made to expose the suprarenal abdominal aorta and to isolate the vessel. The aorta was constricted by a needle at 0.7mm. Sham-operation was performed in age-matched control rats in the same manner but without aorta binding. All aorta binding rats were assigned randomly to one of two groups: model(n=10); statin 40mg/kg.d(n=9). The drugs were orally administered for 6 weeks starting from 8 weeks after...