Effects of hypercholesterolaemia without ischemia on some electrophysiological and ultrastructural properties of the rabbit heart,☆☆

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Abstract

The electrophysiological and ultrastructural alterations that occur in chronic hypercholesterolaemia were studied in isolated atria including sinoatrial (SA) and atrioventricular (AV) nodes that were obtained from rabbits subjected in 1% cholesterol diet for 18 weeks. Transmembrane action potentials were recorded simultaneously with the His bundle electrogram. The results were compared with corresponding values obtained in normal control atria. During sinus rhythm or constant atrial stimulation, the electrophysiological studies demonstrated no significant alterations of the electrical activity of the SA node, crista terminalis and AV node in preparations obtained from cholesterol-fed rabbits. Premature atrial stimulation at a critical range of coupling intervals initiated supraventricular tachycardias in 712 of the high cholesterol preparations but in none of the controls. Premature atrial impulses within this critical range were characterized by slow conduction through the AV node. Ultrastructural analysis of hearts obtained from cholesterol-fed rabbits revealed highly selective degenerative changes of the AV nodal cells and diffuse degeneration processes of the cardiac nerves but no obstructive coronary lesions. It was concluded that hypercholesterolaemia per se without myocardial ischemia may result in electrophysiological and ultrastructural abnormalities of the AV node and the cardiac neural tissue.

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    This work was supported by the German Research Foundation within the SFB 90.

    ☆☆

    This work was presented in part at the I. meeting of the working groups of the Europ. Soc. Cardiol., Brighton 1978.

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