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Pathophysiology and Treatment Options for Cardiac Anorexia

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Abstract

The anorexia–cachexia syndrome (ACS) occurs in many chronic illnesses, such as cancer, AIDS, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in addition to chronic congestive heart failure (CHF). Comparable to other chronic states, the ACS complicates CHF and impacts its prognosis; however, the available treatment options for this syndrome remain unsatisfactory. This review article focuses on the complex pathophysiology of cardiac anorexia. We focus on the recent data demonstrating the relationships between central appetite-regulating structures, inflammatory processes, and neurohormonal activation, and their respective roles in the development of anorexia. We then describe the different treatment options and discuss some future prospects for the management for cardiac anorexia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Marat Fudim

  2. Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Mount Sinai Medical Center, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1030, New York, NY, 10029-6574, USA

    Gabriel Wagman, Michelle Bloom & Timothy J. Vittorio

  3. Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Rebecca Altschul

  4. Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Evin Yucel

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  1. Marat Fudim
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  2. Gabriel Wagman
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Correspondence to Timothy J. Vittorio.

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Fudim, M., Wagman, G., Altschul, R. et al. Pathophysiology and Treatment Options for Cardiac Anorexia. Curr Heart Fail Rep 8, 147–153 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-011-0049-5

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