Abstract
BackgroundDespite remarkable progress in treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) over the last two decades, mortality, personal suffering and cost remain staggering, and effective interventions are still a challenge. Previously we reported that a blueberry-enriched diet (BD) attenuated necroapoptosis and inflammation in periinfarct area in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI).ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that BD will attenuate the course of CHF, including mortality and cardiac remodeling during the first year after induction of MI in rats.Method and ResultsTwo weeks after coronary artery ligation, rats were divided into two groups of similar average MI size, measured by echocardiography, and then12-mo dietary regimens were initiated as follows: ad libitum regular diet (control, CD, n = 27) and isocaloric food with 2% blueberry supplement (BD, n = 27) also available ad libitum. These dietary groups were compared to each other and to sham group (SH). Mortality over the 12 mo was reduced by 22% in BD compared with CD (p<0.01). In the course of developing CHF, BD had no effect on the body weight, heart rate or blood pressure. Bi-monthly Echo revealed significant attenuation of the LV chamber remodeling, LV posterior wall thinning, and MI expansion in BD compared with CD. In fact, BD arrested the MI expansion.ConclusionThis is the first experimental evidence that a blueberry-enriched diet has positive effects on the course of CHF and thus warrants consideration for clinical evaluation.
Highlights
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a wide spread, highly disabling condition usually occurring subsequently to ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, hypertension, valvular disease and cardiomyopathy are contributing etiologies [1]
We have recently reported that myocardial infarct (MI) size, as well as necroapoptosis and inflammation in peri-infarct area at 24 hrs after myocardial infarction (MI) induction, are significantly reduced in rats maintained on blueberry-enriched diet (BD) prior to induction of MI in comparison with rats on the control diet (CD) [15]
In which MI size was less than 20% or more than 50% of left ventricular (LV), were excluded from the therapeutic interventions
Summary
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a wide spread, highly disabling condition usually occurring subsequently to ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, hypertension, valvular disease and cardiomyopathy are contributing etiologies [1]. In the age cohort of 70–80 years, the prevalence of CHF reaches 20% [2,3]. Remarkable progress has been achieved over the last two decades in treatment of CHF. Despite recognized successes, the overall annual mortality associated with CHF remains around 10% [5,6], and quality of life among survivors is dramatically reduced as the disease progresses [7,8]. Despite remarkable progress in treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) over the last two decades, mortality, personal suffering and cost remain staggering, and effective interventions are still a challenge. We reported that a blueberry-enriched diet (BD) attenuated necroapoptosis and inflammation in periinfarct area in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI)
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