Role of four-week resistance exercise in preserving the heart against ischaemia–reperfusion-induced injury

OBJECTIVE: We studied the cardioprotective effect of resistance training against ischaemia–reperfusion-induced injury. METHODS: Forty male rats were divided into trained and sedentary groups (n = 20 for each). The trained rats were exercised at 12 repetitions/set, four sets/day and five days/week for four weeks. Transient regional ischaemia of the left anterior descending coronary artery (40 min) was followed by 80 min of reperfusion. RESULTS: Baseline developed and diastolic pressures and coronary flow were similar in the two groups. While diastolic pressure increased and developed pressure and coronary flow decreased in both the ischaemic and perfusion periods (as indices of cardiac damage), there were no statistically significant differences between the trained and sedentary groups in these parameters. Resistance training did not significantly change the infarct size and apoptosis rate. CONCLUSION: We did not see a cardioprotective effect of resistance exercise against ischaemia–reperfusion-induced injury in this study. A precise conclusion about this issue needs more investigations.