Acute Cardiovascular Changes Following Cerebral Ischemia in a Non-human Primate Thromboembolic Stroke Model

Acute cardiovascular changes following cerebral ischemia are significant contributors to stroke-related mortality, yet their mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated cardiovascular responses in a cynomolgus monkey thromboembolic stroke model.

A thromboembolic stroke model was induced in eight male animals (aged 4 to 6 years) by occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery with an autologous blood clod. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature were continuously monitored in conscious, free-moving animals for 24 h post-embolization using a telemetry system.

Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate significantly increased following embolization and these increases persisted for 24 h. Circadian rhythm disruption was suggested by elevated nighttime respiratory rate and body temperature. Three moribund animals exhibited higher blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate compared to five non-moribund animals, along with a drop in body temperature in the hours before death. Electrocardiographic analysis revealed no major abnormalities in non-moribund animals, but the moribund animals showed arrhythmias and ST-segment elevation before death.

These cardiovascular changes closely resemble those observed in stroke-heart syndrome in humans, highlighting the relevance of this non-human primate model in studying acute cardiovascular complications following cerebral ischemia. This model could be applied in the development of therapies for managing post-stroke cardiovascular events.