Prior aerobic exercise training and cholinergic stimulation by pyridostigmine bromide in myocardial infarction: role in cardiac and autonomic function

Abstract

Impaired ventricular function, as well as the derangement of the autonomic nervous system usually leads to high mortality rates in patients after myocardial infarction (MI). Cardiovascular, immune and autonomic benefits of aerobic exercise training (ET) have led many researchers to suggest this as an important non-pharmacological tool in the treatment and prevention of MI and heart failure. On the other hand, the administration of pyridostigmine bromide (PYR), an indirect cholinergic stimulator, has shown positive effects on autonomic function in healthy subjects, in coronary patients (in response to exercise), as well as in infarcted animals. In this sense, the question that arises is: the association of aerobic ET with the administration of PYR prior to MI may trigger additional positive effects on ventricular and autonomic response to ischemic event? Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the ventricular, hemodynamic and autonomic responses of myocardial ischemia in rats previously subjected to aerobic treatment ET associated with PYR. The animals will undergo 60 days of aerobic ET, and at the end of the protocol, myocardial ischemia will be induced by left anterior descending coronary artery permanent ligation. After MI, hemodynamic evaluations, ventricular function and autonomic function will be performed. Results will be presented as mean ± standard error of the mean and statistical tests of ANOVA are properly applied. P <0.05 will be considered significant.