Inflammation and Heart Failure

Heart failure (HF) is a common clinical syndrome caused by a variety of cardiac diseases. The morbidity and mortality have increased in the last decades. The pathophysiology of HF is exceedingly complex. It has developed from the simplistic model of pump failure to that of a multisystemic disorder that affects not only the cardiovascular system but also the musculoskeletal, neuroendocrine and immune systems. Apart from myocardial hypertrophy, the pathogenetic mechanisms of HF also include deregulation of the neurohormonal system, with disturbance of the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic tone, and disruption of the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Activation of neurohormones and pro-inflammatory cytokines has been recognized in HF progression after an initial cardiac injury. It is becoming increasingly apparent that inflammatory mediators play a crucial role in the development of HF. The purpose of this chapter is to give a brief overview of the role of inflammation in heart failure from animal models to clinical disease.