Inhibition of hypoxia-induced cardiac hypertrophy by verapamil in rats.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-220 g) were employed to study the effect of a calcium antagonistic drug on hypoxia-induced myocardial hypertrophy. The hypoxic condition was obtained by exposure of animals to reduced barometric pressure in a hypobaric chamber. The rats, divided in groups, were exposed to acute or chronic intermittent hypoxia (0.42 atmospheres of air for 24 hrs or 0.42 atm for 12 hrs per day for 10 days, respectively). Verapamil (VRP) was given subcutaneously in a total dose of 200 mg/kg/b.w./rat. In hypoxic rats, the drug significantly reduced the values of dry heart weight calculated on the basis of its relationship to total body weight. This phenomenon is probably due to: (1) reduced activation of the contractile system and a thereby resulting decrease in ATP breakdown as a result of blocking of Ca++ inflow into myocardial cells; (2) the effect of Verapamil on hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension and/or (3) a direct effect of the drug on the myocardial cell.