Characteristics of development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits adapted to intermittent hypoxia in a pressure chamber

Aim. To study effect of adaptation to intermittent hypoxia in a pressure chamber on development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits. Methods. Experimental atherosclerosis was induced by feeding rabbits with cholesterol (250 mg/kg/day). Before feeding with cholesterol rabbits had been exposed in a pressure chamber to the altitude of 6000 m for 6 hours daily for 3 months. Results. Atherosclerosis in adapted to hypoxia animals was characterized by slow development. After 3 months of high cholesterol diet level of total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in adapted rabbits was lower and that of high density lipoprotein cholesterol higher than in nonadapted animals. Adapted to hypoxia rabbits compared with nonadapted demonstrated more effective neutralization of end products of lipid peroxidation, had augmented phagocytic reactions of mononuclear phagocytes and less pronounced atherosclerotic changes in the aorta.