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Apoptosis in heart failure and the senescent heart

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Abstract

The progressive loss of cardiac myocytes by apoptotic cell death has been discussed as an important pathogenic component in the failing myocardium as well in the aging heart. The degree to which apoptosis contributes to myocyte loss in these conditions, however, is a controversial issue. This review focuses on the regulation of apoptosis, evidence implicating apoptosis as a mechanism for the progression and development of heart failure, the role of apoptotic death in senescent cardiac dysfunction, as well as on the problems of detection of apoptosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Cardiovascular Gene Therapy, Cardiovascular Research Center and Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 02114, Boston, MA

    Oliver Y. Bernecker, Fawzia Huq, E. Kevin Heist & Roger J. Hajjar MD

  2. Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cardiosurgical Research, University of Vienna, Austria

    Bruno K. Podesser

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  1. Oliver Y. Bernecker
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  2. Fawzia Huq
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Correspondence to Roger J. Hajjar MD.

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Bernecker, O.Y., Huq, F., Heist, E.K. et al. Apoptosis in heart failure and the senescent heart. Cardiovasc Toxicol 3, 183–190 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1385/CT:3:3:183

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