Figure 1. Experimental design.

At a drug-free state, prior to initiation of cocaine administration, a treadmill stress test and baseline food consumption measurements were performed. Day 0 represents the beginning of the twice daily, 30 mg/kg intraperitoneal cocaine administration that lasted 20 days. On completion of this regimen, a second exercise test, food consumption measurements, and echocardiography were performed, followed by postmortem histopathological evaluation of heart tissue samples.