Myocardial
infarction (MI), commonly known as heart attack, is a major public health
problem. MI can result in a maladaptive remodeling of left ventricles (LV) that
leads to LV dysfunction and eventual heart failure. The acute mortality of MI
is decreasing due to improved managements and treatment strategies including
early coronary reperfusion therapy. However, the prevalence of heart failure as
a result of a maladaptive post-MI LV remodeling is still steadily increasing.
The cardiovascular risk for patients with MI is still 10-fold higher thanhealthy human. Consequently, the morbidity, mortality, and economic cost
related to ischemic heart disease are rising worldwide.
Because the heart has limited regenerative
capacity, it responds to MI injury by a spontaneous wound repair process which
ultimately results in replacement of dead cardiomyocytes with a collagen-based
scar. Wound healing is closely intertwined with ventricular remodeling, a
complex process that involves both the infarcted and non-infarcted myocardium,
and leads to alteration in the size, shape, and physiology of the heart. The
extent of post-MI remodeling is an important predictor for mortality of heart
failure after infarction, and depends on the size of the infarct and on the
mechanical and structural characteristics of the healing wound. Read more......
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