Regular exercise produced cardioprotective effects on rat's heart with hypertension induced by L-NAME administration.

This study investigated the effects of exercise training on apoptosis, angiotensin II expression, and eNOS expression in rats' heart with hypertension induced by N (omega)-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) in vivo. Forty rats were divided into control (C), L-NAME treated (L), L-NAME treated with exercise (L + Ex), and exercise (Ex) groups. Systolic (S) and diastolic (D) blood pressures (BP) were elevated from the first week in L. In L + Ex, SBP and DBP were decreased from the fourth and second week, respectively. In L + Ex, decreased apoptosis and angiotensin II expression and increased eNOS expressions were detected. Consequently, exercise reduces BP by alternation of angiotensin II expression and eNOS expression, and inhibits apoptotic changes in the heart.