Monthly Update Cardiovascular & Renal: Apoptosis in cardiac health and disease

Abstract

Apoptosis (or programmed cell death) has been established as a major phenomenon in normal organ development and growth, including the cardiovascular system. Recent data indicate that apoptosis is important in cardiac development at perinatal and postnatal periods. In this brief review we summarise and analyse evidence for the role of apoptosis in pathological events of the heart and, in particular, cardiac ischaemia and myopathies. Furthermore, the capacity of carvedilol, a vasodilating β-blocker and antioxidant drug, to suppress ischaemia induced apoptosis suggests the potential for pharmacological intervention in cardiac apoptosis as a mechanism for cardioprotective action.