Adaptation of hindquarter vascular reactivity to femoral artery ligation and hypercholesterolemia in the rabbit

Abstract

Aims: The effects of ischemia and hypercholesterolemia on the function and morphological adaptation of the rabbit hindlimb were assessed. Methods: In rabbits on normal or cholesterol diet, experiments were performed on days 0-28 following bilateral femoral artery ligation. Calf blood pressure (C BP), exercise tolerance, flow reserve, agonist vasodilatation, angiography and capillary density were examined and modeled. Results: C BP decreased markedly post-ligation and returned to 41 and 68% of baseline by days 7 and 28. Exercise tolerance was attenuated 40% and flow reserve 50-60% on day 7, with recovery by day 28. Ligation caused decreases in 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced dilatation, while ade..