Genes and their polymorphisms in mono- and multifactorial cardiomyopathies: towards pharmacogenomics in heart failure.

Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the myocardium associated with cardiac dysfunction, and are classified as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertropic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and restrictive cardiomyopathy. Heart failure and sudden death are the two major complications. Also, since DCM is the primary indication for heart transplantation and HCM the primary cause of sudden death in young athletes, the socioeconomic impact of these diseases is important. Recently, the role of the genetic background in both monogenic and multifactorial cardiomyopathies has been studied, which has led to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms that promote the development and progression of these diseases. Preliminary data suggest interactions between pharmacological treatment and genetic polymorphisms, which appear to be the first steps towards the application of pharmacogenetics in heart failure.