Left ventricular function in Syrian hamsters of different ages with hereditary cardiomyopathy

Hemodynamic data of cardiomyopathic hamsters of the strain BIO 8262 aged 70 days and more than 200 days were compared with those of control groups. Left ventricular systolic pressures and heart rate revealed no great differences between the groups. Left ventricular diastolic pressure was lower in both older groups than in both younger groups. Contractility, as measured by dp/dt max as well as VCE and Vmax, showed considerably lower values in the myopathic groups. Although congestive heart failure connot be observed in the BIO 8262 strain, a decrease in cardiac performance can be postulated particularly in the 70-day age group in the stage of acute necrosis. The hypothesis is supported that circulatory congestion seen in the BIO 14.6 hamster is a separate entity, not necessarily connected to the myocardial lesions.