Possible mechanisms of action in the positive effect of beta blockers in heart failure.

The Different Mechanisms of Action Potential Propagation in the Heart

It was thought previously that cardiac muscle gap junctions provide low-resistance connections between cells and permit the local-circuit current to flow. Some evidences show that myocardial cells may not require low-resistance connections for successful propagation of the action potential (AP). It seems that some other types of mechanisms must be involved in AP propagation. In this article, we...

Pulmonary hypertension and beta blockers: where do we stand? Where are we going?

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a chronic, progressive debilitating disease and associated with poor prognosis despite the novel numerous treatment options. Beta-blockers constitute a cornerstone in left heart failure treatment; however, we still don't know the role of beta-blockers on PH and they are considered relatively contraindicated in patients with PH because of the possible negative effe...

The Different Mechanisms of Action Potential Propagation in the Heart

It was thought previously that cardiac muscle gap junctions provide low-resistance connections between cells and permit the local-circuit current to flow. Some evidences show that myocardial cells may not require low-resistance connections for successful propagation of the action potential (AP). It seems that some other types of mechanisms must be involved in AP propagation. In this article, we...

Beta-Blockers in Congestive Heart Failure: the Evolution of a New Treatment Concept - Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Implications

Beta-blockers in chronic heart failure.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) constitutes a significant clinical issue due to its increasing prevalence in general population and still fatal prognosis. During last twenty years the significance of beta-blockers in the treatment of CHF has changed. It resulted from the hypothesis from 1975 that in the course of CHF it comes to the activation of sympathetic system and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone...