The influence of chronic exposure to bisphenol A on cardiac function: a study of ECG parameters in adult female rats

Abstract Introduction Bisphenol A (BPA), widely used in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, poses a health risk linked to its ubiquitous presence in consumer products. Chronic exposure to BPA has been associated with various pathologies, especially cardiovascular diseases, necessitating a deeper understanding of its effects on cardiac electrophysiology. Materials and Methods Adult female Wistar rats were assigned to Control, BPA (50 μg/kg/day), and high BPA (hBPA; 25 mg/kg/day) groups, with BPA administered via drinking water for 7 weeks. Telemetry was used to measure the heart rate and other ECG parameters (P wave, QRS complex, PQ segment, ST segment, T wave, and QT interval durations). Results No significant differences in mean heart rates were detected among groups. However, BPA exposure significantly prolonged QRS complex, PQ segment, T wave, and QT interval durations while shortening ST segment duration (all p< 0.0001). Notably, the P wave duration remained unaffected. Conclusions Chronic BPA exposure, even at human-relevant doses, caused significant alterations in multiple ECG parameters, suggesting impairments in cardiac conduction and repolarization processes. These findings underscore a potential increased risk of arrhythmias linked to BPA, indicating the urgency for further research into its cardiotoxic mechanisms and implications for human health.