IGF1 and congestive heart failure: When ghrelin (100 μg/kg, twice daily, for 3 weeks) was subcutaneously administered after left coronary artery ligation in a rat model of chronic heart failure, the blood levels of GH and IGF-1 increased, as did the maximum rate of pressure rise (max dp/dt), which is an index of cardiac output and myocardial contractility [30].