Involvement of cardiomyocyte survival-apoptosis balance in hypertensive cardiac remodeling.

The balance between cell death and cell survival is a tightly controlled process, especially in terminally differentiated cells, such as the cardiomyocyte. Accumulating data support a role for cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the development of several cardiac diseases, including the transition from hypertensive compensatory hypertrophy to heart failure. This review briefly summarizes the status of the knowledge regarding the death-survival balance of cardiomyocytes in the context of hypertensive heart disease. Several molecular and cellular aspects as well as the most relevant pathophysiological implications are presented. Moreover, diagnosis tools under development and the possibilities for pharmacological intervention are also examined.