Heart failure is a worldwide health challenge representing the most common
admission diagnosis in patients aged ≥65 years. It is associated with worse prognosis
even compared to that of most malignancies, despite therapeutic improvements.
Research efforts are underway to combat this complex disease by increasing our
understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with the structural
and functional abnormalities. Here we review the molecular changes associated with
the fundamental derangements observed in heart failure such as the depressed
myocardial contractility and relaxation, increased cardiac fibrosis, increased
cardiomyocyte stiffness and profound cytoskeletal changes.
Keywords: Calcium kinetics, Cardiomyocyte physiology, Contraction, Coupling
mechanisms, Diastolic function, Excitation, Heart failure, Myocardial
contractility, Myocardial perfusion, Myofibroblasts, Phospholamban, Relaxation.
