Improved cardiovascular function with aminoguanidine in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats

Abstract

[Summary]: 1. The ability of aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of collagen cross-linking, to prevent changes in cardiac and vascular structure and function has been determined in the DOCA-salt hypertensive rat as a model of the cardiovascular remodelling observed in chronic human hypertension. 2. Uninephrectomised rats (UNX) administered DOCA (25mg every 4th day sc) and 1% NaCl in drinking water for 28 days developed cardiovascular remodelling shown as systolic hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, increased thoracic aortic and left ventricular wall thickness, increased left ventricular inflammatory cell infiltration together with increased interstitial collagen and increased passive diastolic stiffness, impaired contractility, prolongation of the action potential duration and vascular dysfunction.