AimsThis study sought to investigate the effects of physical detraining on blood pressure (BP) and cardiac morphology and function in hypertension, and on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (PICs and AIC) and oxidative stress within the brain of hypertensive rats.Methods and ResultsHypertension was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by delivering AngiotensinII for 42 days using implanted osmotic minipumps. Rats were randomized into sedentary, trained, and detrained groups. Trained rats underwent moderate-intensity exercise (ExT) for 42 days, whereas, detrained groups underwent 28 days of exercise followed by 14 days of detraining. BP and cardiac function were evaluated by radio-telemetry and echocardiography, respectively. At the end, the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was analyzed by Real-time RT-PCR and Western blot. ExT in AngII-infused rats caused delayed progression of hypertension, reduced cardiac hypertrophy, and improved diastolic function. These results were associated with significantly reduced PICs, increased AIC (interleukin (IL)-10), and attenuated oxidative stress in the PVN. Detraining did not abolish the exercise-induced attenuation in MAP in hypertensive rats; however, detraining failed to completely preserve exercise-mediated improvement in cardiac hypertrophy and function. Additionally, detraining did not reverse exercise-induced improvement in PICs in the PVN of hypertensive rats; however, the improvements in IL-10 were abolished.ConclusionThese results indicate that although 2 weeks of detraining is not long enough to completely abolish the beneficial effects of regular exercise, continuing cessation of exercise may lead to detrimental effects.

BackgroundExtended‐release levetiracetam (LEV‐XR) has gained acceptance as an antiepileptic drug in dogs. No studies have evaluated its disposition in dogs with epilepsy.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo evaluate the pharmacokinetics of LEV‐XR in epileptic dogs when administered alone or with phenobarbital or zonisamide.AnimalsEighteen client‐owned dogs on steady‐state maintenance treatment with LEV‐XR (Group L, n = 6), LEV‐XR and phenobarbital (Group LP, n = 6), or LEV‐XR and zonisamide (Group LZ, n = 6).MethodsPharmacokinetic study. Blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours after LEV‐XR was administered with food. Plasma LEV concentrations were determined by high‐pressure liquid chromatography. A population pharmacokinetic approach and nonlinear mixed effects modeling were used to analyze the data.ResultsTreatment group accounted for most of the interindividual variation. The LP group had lower C MAX (13.38 μg/mL) compared to the L group (33.01 μg/mL) and LZ group (34.13 μg/mL), lower AUC (134.86 versus 352.95 and 452.76 hours·μg/mL, respectively), and higher CL/F (0.17 versus 0.08 and 0.07 L/kg/hr, respectively). The half‐life that defined the terminal slope of the plasma concentration versus time curve (~5 hours) was similar to values previously reported for healthy dogs.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceConsiderable variation exists in the pharmacokinetics of LEV‐XR in dogs with epilepsy being treated with a common dose regimen. Concurrent administration of phenobarbital contributed significantly to the variation. Other factors evaluated, including co‐administration of zonisamide, were not shown to contribute to the variability. Drug monitoring may be beneficial to determine the most appropriate dose of LEV‐XR in individual dogs.