Influence of long-term beta receptor stimulation with prenalterol on intrinsic heart rate in rats.

Previous studies have shown that the intrinsic heart rate (IHR) may undergo changes, e.g., decrease after long-term endurance training. The mechanism for this adaptation is not known. In this study, rats were subjected to long-term oral treatment with the beta receptor stimulating drug prenalterol. During the treatment period heart rates at rest and during submaximal exercise were measured. Heart rate after 30 min rest and also 2 min after exercise was higher in the treated animals, due to the beta stimulation. The treated rats had a significantly lower heart rate increase during exercise than untreated controls, consistent with a partial beta-blocking effect of the drug in states with a high endogenous sympathetic activity. Therefore, the animals were not trained but only exposed to the increased stimulation of cardiac beta receptors accomplished by the drug while at rest. After 25 weeks, prenalterol was withdrawn and the IHR was measured in situ after a denervation procedure. The treatment with prenalterol had not altered the IHR. Our previous results from training studies indicate that a heart rate increase above a certain level or the stimulation for a lower setting of the IHR as seen after endurance training. In this study chronic beta receptor stimulation with prenalterol did not influence the IHR, which supports that hypothesis.