Prior resistance training exerts cardioprotection against cardiac remodelling after myocardial infarction

<b>Background</b>: The cardioprotective properties of resistance training (RT) in infarcted rats have been poorly investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of eight weeks of RT prior myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. <b>Method</b>: Groups: SSh: sedentary sham surgery; SMI: sedentary MI; TMI: trained MI. At the end of the eighth week, the animals underwent either MI or sham surgery and were analysed four weeks later. <b>Results</b>: The TMI presented MI sizes, scar areas, masses of the atria, right ventricle, heart, left atrial area, E wave, and E/A ratio, smaller than the SMI. The protein expression related to Ca²⁺ handling were not affected by the RE. The maximal load (ML) of the TMI was greater than that of the SMI group. The VO₂ peak and maximum speed (Vmax) were lower in the infarcted groups. <b>Conclusion</b>: Prior RT confers cardioprotection against cardiac remodelling by attenuating infarct size progression, myocardial hypertrophy, and diastolic dysfunction.