Amiodarone is effective in suppressing arrhythmias in heart failure patients. We investigated the effect of long-term amiodarone administration on myocardial fibrosis and left ventricular (LV) remodeling in a porcine model of ischemic cardiomyopathy. Eighteen infarcted farm pigs were randomized to receive long-term amiodarone administration for 3 months (n = 9) or conventional follow-up (n = 9). Evolution of LV remodeling over 3 months post-myocardial infarction was examined at tissue level (myocyte size, myocardial fibrosis and vascular density assessed by whole-field digital histopathology), organ level (LV structure and function assessed by echocardiography), and systemic level (BNP and MMP-9 levels). Long-term administration of the standard anti-arrhythmic doses of amiodarone was not associated with adverse effects on myocardial fibrosis and other features of adverse cardiac remodeling. This favorable safety profile suggests that long-term anti-arrhythmic therapy with amiodarone warrants further clinical investigation in the subpopulation of heart failure patients with significantly increased burden of arrhythmias.
CITATION STYLE
Zagorianou, A., Marougkas, M., Drakos, S. G., Diakos, N., Konstantopoulos, P., Perrea, D. N., … Malliaras, K. (2016). The effect of long-term amiodarone administration on myocardial fibrosis and evolution of left ventricular remodeling in a porcine model of ischemic cardiomyopathy. SpringerPlus, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-3249-3
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