Abstract
Myocardial biopsies have been obtained from patients with hypertrophic or congestive cardiomyopathies. Marker enzymes for the principal subcellular organelles of the myocardium were estimated using highly sensitive assay procedures. The results were compared with those obtained in tissue from patients with valvular heart disease with good or poor left ventricular function. Left ventricular myocardial tissue from patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy showed essentially normal levels of enzymic activities. In congestive cardiomyopathy, right ventricular tissue showed reduced levels of mitochondrial enzymes with increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase. Left ventricular tissue from patients with congestive cardiomyopathy showed reduced levels of mitochondrial and myofibril enzymes but high levels of lactate dehydrogenase. The reduced levels of myofibril Ca++-activated ATP in congestive cardiomyopathy is similar to that found in patients with impaired left ventricular function secondary to valvular disease. It is suggested that defective mitochondrial function is a characteristic feature of congestive cardiomyopathy and that the increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase reflect a compensatory response.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
