Nephrol Dial Transplant (2000) 15: 758-760
© 2000 European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association
Editorial Comments
The role of the cardiac endothelin system in heart failure
Klinik III für Innere Medizin, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Germany
Introduction
Since the isolation and identification of endothelins as very important vasoconstrictor peptides in 1988, clinical and experimental evidence suggests that endothelins play an important role in cardiac and vascular pathology associated with heart failure. Because of the frequency of heart failure in end-stage renal disease, this issue is definitely also of interest to the clinical nephrologist.
Though secreted predominantly abluminally by endothelial cells, plasma concentrations of endothelin-1 ET-1 are increased two to threefold in patients with heart failure irrespective of aetiology [1]. As with noradrenaline, plasma levels of ET-1 and big endothelin-1, the inactive precursor of ET-1, are of prognostic significance, predicting worsening heart failure, need for hospitalization, and death [2]. Plasma endothelin is correlated closely to the
Action of endothelin in the heart
Regulation of the myocardial endothelin system in the failing heart
Conclusions and perspectives
Acknowledgments
Notes
References
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