Heart murmurs, valvular regurgitation and electrical disturbances in copper-deficient genetically hypertensive, hypertrophic cardiomyopathic rats.

Objective: Rats with a genetic tendency to develop hypertensive, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were fed copper-deficient diets and their cardiac responses were investigated.Methods: Five male weanling rats of the Long-Evans and SHHF/Mcc-facp strains were randomly selected to receive diets containing either adequate quantities of copper (94.5 μmol Cu/kg diet) or reduced quantities of copper (<15.8 μmol Cu/kg diet) for 6 weeks, (n=5 within each group). Echocardiograms and electrocardiograms were recorded and analyzed at the end of the 6-week interval.Results: Electrocardiograms from copper deficient groups showed longer Q-T intervals and increased QRS amplitudes than controls. Both the copper deficient and control SHHF groups demonstrated significant QRS complex prolongation compared to Long-Evans rats. Echocardiography analysis showed significant increases in left ventricular area, free wall dimension, and myocardial cross-sectional areas in rats fed a copper deficient diet. The frequency of systolic cardiac...