THE PRODUCTION OF CARDIAC LESIONS BY REPEATED INJECTIONS OF DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE 123

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Abstract
Necrosis of the myocardial fibres and replacement by fibroblasts was produced by repeated injs. of (DCA) in rats. The lesions were neither aggravated by absence of pyridoxin nor prevented by liberal additions of pyridoxin to the diets. Low intake of thiamin did not aggravate the lesion. The lesions could not be distinguished from those produced by diets low in K. The livers decreased in size after injs. of DCA for 10 days, but were normal in size after 4 wks. of injs. The inj. of DCA lowered muscle K and raised muscle Na. Analogous changes were not found in the liver. In the heart low cardiac K was found in 2 of 4 dogs fed a low K diet. Inj. of DCA produced only suggestive lowering of cardiac K in a group of rats, no certain change in any of 4 cats, and no change in 1 dog. Although the heart might lose K under conditions leading to loss from skeletal muscle, diminution of cardiac K was not a regular occurrence. The cardiac lesions produced by injs. of DCA or K low diets could be prevented by addition of KC1 to the drinking water. Deficit of body K was apparently essential for the production of these lesions. Cortical extract produced analogous changes in the muscle of 1 rat.