Abstract
Apart from stimulating growth hormone (GH) secretion and a regulatory role for appetite and metabolism, it has become increasingly clear that GH secretagogues (GHS) and ghrelin exert a number of effects on the cardiovascular system. The main cardiovascular actions of GHS are possible inotropic effects, vasodilation, reported cardioprotective effects against ischaemia andin vitroeffects on cardiomyocytes involving cell proliferation and antiapoptotic actions. An interesting and intriguing feature of the cardiovascular effects of GHS is that they may be exerted directly on the heart and vasculature rather than being mediated by GH. Evidence to suggest this is the finding of GHS binding sites on cardiomyocytes and the fact that some of the effects of GHS can be expressed also in the absence of GH. Although these results offer interesting possibilities for ghrelin and/or GHS to be used as therapeutic tools in cardiovascular disease, larger clinical trials in this area are still lacking. Future studies aiming at evaluating a role of GHS and ghrelin in the treatment of cardiovascular disease are warranted.
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