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Pathophysiology of Heart Failure: Back to Basics

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Translational Approach to Heart Failure

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Abstract

Basic mechanisms of chronic heart failure are reviewed. A central theme that cuts all the way through this review is that chronic heart failure is a problem of failing complexity, rather than a problem of the failure of a single unit (e.g., cell type) or processes (e.g., contractility). A brief paragraph introducing this central concept will precede the main text of this chapter.

Next, a definition of heart failure will be formulated, and the most common etiologies and symptoms of heart failure in clinical cardiology summarized. The progressive nature of chronic heart failure will then be described and its driving forces analyzed. Finally, indices of cardiac performance and heart failure will be summarized and placed into a conceptual frame. The chapter will end by scrutinizing the mechanisms of diastolic dysfunction and by formulating some future trends of heart failure research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Heart Failure and Cardiac Rehabilitation, AZ Middelheim, University of Antwerp, Lindendreef 1, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium

    Gilles W. De Keulenaer, Vincent Segers & Dirk L. Brutsaert

Authors
  1. Gilles W. De Keulenaer
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  2. Vincent Segers
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  3. Dirk L. Brutsaert
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Correspondence to Gilles W. De Keulenaer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Center, OLV Hospital, MOORSEBEAN 164, AALST, B-9300, Belgium

    Jozef Bartunek

  2. Cardiovascular Center, OLV Hospital, Moorselbaan 164, Aalst, 9300, Belgium

    Marc Vanderheyden

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De Keulenaer, G.W., Segers, V., Brutsaert, D.L. (2013). Pathophysiology of Heart Failure: Back to Basics. In: Bartunek, J., Vanderheyden, M. (eds) Translational Approach to Heart Failure. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7345-9_1

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