Hypotension in hereditary cardiomyopathy.

It is well accepted that hypertension may lead to the development of heart failure (HF). However, little is known about the development of hypotension that may contribute to the onset of hereditary cardiomyopathy (HCM), thus promoting heart failure and early death. The purpose of this study is to verify whether a decrease in blood pressure takes place during different phases of HCM (asymptomatic, necrosis, hypertrophy, and heart failure). Using the well-known animal model, the UM-X7.1 hamster strain of HCM (HCMH), our results showed the absence of a change in mean arterial pressure (MAP) during the asymptomatic phase preceding the development of necrosis in HCMHs when compared to age-matched normal hamster (NH). However, there was a progressive decrease in MAP that reached its lowest level during the heart failure phase. The MAP during the development of the necrosis phase of HCM was accompanied by a significant increase in the level of the sodium-hydrogen exchanger, NHE1. Treatments with the potent NHE1 inhibitor, EMD 87580 (rimeporide), did not affect MAP of NH. However, treatments with EMD 87580 during the three phases of the development of HCM significantly reversed the hypotension associated with HCM.Our results showed that the development of HCM is associated with hypotension. These results suggest that a decrease in blood pressure could be a biomarker signal for HCM leading to HF and early death. Since the blockade of NHE1 significantly but partially prevented the reduction in MAP, this suggests that other mechanisms can contribute to the development of hypotension in HCM.