Alterations in Left Ventricular End-Systolic and End-Diastolic Volumes in 12-13-Week-Old Laboratory Rats Subjected to Dosed Swimming Exercise

The objective of this study was to explore the alterations in end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes of the left ventricle in 12-13-week-old rats subjected to a six-week regimen of dosed swimming exercise. Swimming exercise in rats is widely acknowledged as a reliable method to study cardiac parameters and the adaptive capacity of the heart. In our investigation, we engaged 12-13-week-old male rats in a six-week dosed swimming exercise program, followed by weekly echocardiographic assessments to monitor changes in systolic and diastolic volumes of the left ventricle. We studied the echocardiographic data of the rats to evaluate the changes dynamics in systolic and diastolic volumes of the left ventricle in the study groups. The rats were divided into two groups: (1) a control group, which did not receive any load (n=6); and (2) a study group, undergoing daily 60-minute swimming exercises for six weeks with a load equivalent to 4% of their body weight attached to their tails (n=6). Significant changes in left ventricular volumes were observed solely in the study group, which endured 60 minutes of exercise with a 4% body mass load. This research marks a significant stride forward in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms influencing heart rhythm, particularly those arising from physical exertion and pathological shifts in the systolic and diastolic volumes of the left ventricle.