Effects of chronic food restriction and exercise training on the recovery of cardiac function following ischemia

Clinical and experimental data suggest that exercise training (ET) and food restriction (FR) improve cardiovascular function. However, the effects of long-term FR or FR in combination with ET on the recovery of cardiac functi on following ischemia have not been determined. Male Wistar rats were assig ned to ad libitum-fed, FR, ad libitum-exercise, and FR-exercise groups. Mec hanical function of isolated working hearts was assessed in response to inc reases in afterload resistance and following global no-flow ischemia, At lo w workload, there was a significant FB effect on aortic flow as well as an interaction between FR and ET on systolic pressure. These effects remained when hearts were subjected to increases in aortic afterload resistance, Dur ing reperfusion of ischemic hearts, there was a significant FR effect on ao rtic flow and systolic pressure and a significant ET effect on diastolic pr essure. An interaction between FR and ET on heart rate was also seen during reperfusion, In terms of percent recovery of heart function following isch emia, FR continued to affect aortic now, and we observed an interaction bet ween FR and ET on aortic flow. Our results clearly indicate that the myocar dium from the FR animal or the FR, exercise-trained rat is more resistant t o ischemia.