Hypertension and Cardiovascular Abnormalities in Starved-Refed Swine

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Abstract
Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded daily in 2 groups of young adult swine during many months of experimentation involving repeated episodes of starvation (total feed deprivation) and refeeding. Electrocardiograms from the standard and augmented limb leads were recorded during various phases of the study. Severe stresses upon the cardiovascular system were produced as a result of unrestricted initial refeeding particularly, with glucose alone or with a diet high in glucose. Damage of apparently irreversible nature was produced in the myocardium, arteries, and arterioles as a result of the stresses in refeeding following starvation. Notable diastolic hypertension was evident after only 2 starvation-refeeding episodes, and persisted following the fourth episode until the animals were killed 4 to 6 months later.