Neuro-Endocrine Activation and Inhibition in Heart Failure

[摘要] The idea of vasodilator therapy for heart failure has been toyed with for almost one hundred years, possibly more. In the mid-twentieth century nitrates attained a definite role in the management of acute pulmonary oedema. There is little doubt that vasodilators can improve central haemodynamics acutely. However, during the 1970's investigators started to apply physiological principles of preload and afterload reduction to the management of chronic heart failure. The results were largely disappointing, either because tolerance occurred to the vasodilator actions of the drugs, or because vasodilatation is an ineffective mode of treatment for chronic heart failure. When work on this thesis started disillusionment was setting in regarding the efficacy of chronic vasodilator therapy for patients with heart failure.

[发布机构] University:University of Glasgow

[关键词] Medicine, Neurosciences, Endocrinology