The scientific targets: the myocardium, the vasculature and the body’s response to heart failure

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a common but complex clinical syndrome associated with a reduced ability of a heart to pump and/or fill with blood. We now appreciate the more complex picture involving metabolic derangements, changes in fetal gene expression and abnormalities in the periphery as forming part of the HF syndrome. Therapeutic targets include the failing myocardium, the vasculature and peripheral mechanisms. The pathophysiology of HF is currently being intensively investigated, with the identification of new relevant mechanisms, some of them emerging as potential therapeutic targets.