Overt and latent cardiac effects of ozone inhalation in rats: evidence for autonomic modulation and increased myocardial vulnerability.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ozone (O₃) is a well-documented respiratory oxidant, but increasing epidemiological evidence points to extrapulmonary effects, including positive associations between ambient O₃ concentrations and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Objective

With preliminary reports linking O₃ exposure with changes in heart rate (HR), we investigated the hypothesis that a single inhalation exposure to O₃ will cause concentration-dependent autonomic modulation of cardiac function in rats.

Methods

Rats implanted with telemeters to monitor HR and cardiac electrophysiology [electrocardiography (ECG)] were exposed once by whole-body inhalation for 4 hr to 0.2 or 0.8 ppm O₃ or filtered air. A separate cohort was tested for vulnerability to aconitine-induced arrhythmia 24 hr

SUBMITTER: Farraj AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3295357 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature