Abstract: AIM: To study the effects and mechanism of carvedilol (CAR) at different doses on cardiac myocyte apoptosis in rats with myocardial hypertrophy of CHF.METHODS: Using the animal model of CHF, induced by abdominal aortic constriction in male Wistar rats, hemodynamics parameters, cardiac myocyte apoptosis, and the expression of Bcl-2 and P53 were investigated in the untreated experimental group (CHF group) at 1 week after operation and treated experimental groups in which rats were treated with CAR at a lower dose (LCAR group, 0.1mg·kg^-1 ·d^-1) and at a higher dose (HCAR group, 10mg·kg^-1 ·d^-1) for 7 weeks since 1 week after operation.The sham-operated rats were as controls (SH group, n=8).RESULTS: Either doses improved heart function and decreased apoptosis index in rats with CHF.The number of myocytes apoptosis and the level of Bcl-2 were significantly higher and P53 was markedly lower in HCAR group than those in LCAR and MCAR groups.CONCLUSION: CAR can effectively decrease myocardiocyte apoptosis, prevent and cure CHF.The effects are dosedependent, associated with changes of the expression of apoptosis-associated gene.

Key words: heart failure, congestive, carvedilol, apoptosis, gene, rats